


Hole in my Heart

by groffiction



Category: Dredd - Fandom, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Genre: Angst, Biting, Bonding, Darth Tantrum and his Evil Space Ginger, Explicit Sexual Content, Force Bond, Gore, Humor, Inappropriate Use of the Force, Light BDSM, Light mentions of past rape, M/M, Marking, Mentions of past abuse and torture, Multi, Murder, Non-con mind touching, Sarcasm, Snoke is a manipulative bastard, Techie is so adorable it hurts, Though really it's Evil Space Gingers, Vampirism, Violence, eventual heat sex, inner Force stimulation, lightsaber branding, lots of fluff too, lots of unresolved sexual tension, masochism/sadism tendencies, some out of character moments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-04-23 03:59:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 122,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14324085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/groffiction/pseuds/groffiction
Summary: *Kylo finds out Hux is adhampyre- or a half vampire hybrid, by accident and decides to pursue him (or annoy him) regardless of the consequences. He also stumbles on Techie (not related to Hux) - a late bloomer Force sensitive and decides to take him up as his Apprentice. All three soon form a romantic triad despite their differences. Plenty more plot and lots of Kyluxie NC17 smut to go with it, but if I told you any more it would spoil the fanfic.*Story starts off at the beginning of the “Careful, Ren” scene in Episode VII. Will have various elements of later events from Episode VII and Episode VIII, depending on where the story leads. And of course Techie’s background from Dredd. Since I wasn’t sure what to call the triad – there are so few fics out there of them, I decided to call them Kyluxie – so if that isn’t exactly true, then I am very sorry about that!





	1. "Careful, Ren"

**Author's Note:**

> *Disclaimer: I don’t own anyone, just the plot bunny and original characters. I am broke, so please do not sue! All you will get is one hungry senile elderly cat and some hairballs. 
> 
> *Inspired by Black Lab’s song, ‘Hole in my Heart’ - hence the title. I think the lyrics both suit Kylo and Hux. (and of course Techie after he starts feeling the same way about Kylo and Hux).
> 
> *Also inspired by the wonderful and amazing artist @jeusus - of which when I start posting scenes that are influenced by her in the upcoming chapters, I have received permission from her to link to her works. :) Thank you a bunch! 
> 
> *If you would like to see the fanvid that I did for this fic (to this song) here is the link: [Hole in my Heart Fanvideo](https://vimeo.com/263620653)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Please see the bottom of the chapter for notes if you have triggers. Otherwise I hope you all enjoy!

[](https://imgur.com/TYdQmIg?1)

###  **Chapter One: “Careful, Ren”**

Billowing cowl and robe swirled around Lord Kylo Ren as he made his way (or stalked his way) around the bridge of the Finalizer to follow General Hux. Though he was dramatic to a fault, the knight’s rage consumed theatrics never ceased to amaze Hux – and not in a good way. After working with the temperamental Force sensitive these past three or so years, Hux thought that he would have had the storm that was Kylo Ren figured out by now. 

Kylo was good at hiding things behind a façade of angst and hatred, however. The ridiculous fear inspiring mask also helped in that regard. And though Hux often wondered what made the grumpy Force user tick, there were days like today that he really didn’t want to have that question answered. Today, he was perfectly fine with Kylo keeping his secrets, mental or otherwise. Hux was in no mood to play _‘who’s the galaxy’s best acerbic verbal sparrer’_.

The mess with the escaped pilot and defected Stormtrooper was just a tip of the iceberg of problems the ginger was dealing with, and he definitely didn’t need or want to have Kylo add to his high stress levels. To make matters worse, his yearly medical suppressant was coming due soon, and he could literally feel the symptoms haunting his steps. That morning, he’d barely been able to keep down a handful of mixed nuts with his daily habitual cup of hot caf. 

Hux honestly wished he could take the suppressant early to null and void these annoying symptoms, but his body could go into temporary paralysis if he did so. And the General definitely didn’t want to have to deal with a not-so-fun face planting fainting spell. He already knew from experience what that felt like - with being disciplined and humiliated in front of his men by Leader Snoke. Luckily, that occurrence hadn’t happened in a while, but Hux still remembered all too well what had transpired the last time.

No, it was best to wait a few more days. May the universe have pity on his subordinates in the meantime. 

Narrowing his steely blue hazel eyes at the petulant male in front of him, Hux asked curtly, “What do you want now, Ren?”

Kylo gave the General a quick assessing glance, noting how pale and exhausted the man looked. _The idiot must be running on fumes._ Mentally shrugging off the pang of concern for the man, knowing that Hux was stronger than he appeared, Kylo got straight to the point, “The pilot and the traitor might have survived the wreckage. It is imperative that the droid must be found and retrieved intact as soon as possible.”

Hux fought back a biting remark and instead started walking side by side with the infuriating man. Feeling his body start to glide gracefully through the motions, Hux forced himself to put more strength in his strides.

“Supreme Leader Snoke was explicit. Capture the droid if we can, but destroy it if we must,” he reasoned (or tried to), keeping pace with Kylo, though it felt so incredibly awkward basically stomping around. 

Still, one had to keep up appearances, and though gliding on his feet shouldn’t be such a big worry for Hux, he still didn’t want to chance someone noticing something other than the norm. He’d learned a long time ago not to trust anyone with his secret heritage – except for Phasma, for though it made him quite powerful, there were still weaknesses that humans didn’t have to worry about. That normal people didn’t have to worry about. And those weaknesses could be exploited. Hux hated giving anyone power over himself that did not deserve it. Weaknesses were best to be squashed or prevented if at all possible.

Despite the First Order being lenient to Force users of the Knights of Ren or others that were under the tutelage of Leader Snoke, they weren’t so kind to non-humans. Not that Hux was considered completely non-human, more along the lines of being a cursed form of it, but it was for the best to not open that can of worms. Feeling a bit parched, Hux licked his lips, knowing that this was just another symptom of his _‘affliction’_. And it was only going to get worse until he took the suppressant. Until then, he had to try and curb this growing insatiable craving for blood. 

It didn’t help either that Kylo’s blood was starting to smell good. Really good. Forcing himself to pay attention to Kylo’s words and not the hot steaming blood running through his veins, Hux nearly growled when the Force sensitive all but bit out snidely, “How capable are your soldiers, General?”

Oh dear. He’d hoped a fool’s hope that Kylo wouldn’t start on this path today. 

Pity.

Kylo nearly chewed his own lips off in frustration. That was the wrong thing to ask. He really didn’t know why the General tended to bring out the worst emotions out of him, but oh well. Hopefully this wouldn’t escalate too much. Though every now and then he enjoyed the little verbal sparring sessions he had with the General – moreso than he would admit to, this wasn’t one of those times. He had spoken the truth: it was a must to find the droid. The map fragment would finally give him the chance to find Skywalker and end the Jedi’s life once and for all. 

Leader Snoke had suggested that Kylo would soon be tested. Failure, of course, was not an option. The sooner he excelled in those tests, the sooner his training would be closer to completion. The tall, battle hardened knight was anxious to be done with said training. He wanted to finally be able to be at peace. Snoke wanted him to utilize his powers – both using the light and the dark, but it was increasingly difficult in finding a way to do that. 

The battle between the two sides of the Force was literally ripping him apart.

The darkness was so easy for him to draw from. But the light – it tormented him, trying to pull him away from the darkness. 

He’d best find a way to use both sides soon to his advantage, or otherwise he’d be unsuccessful in defeating Skywalker. 

“I won’t have you question my methods,” Hux snapped, trying in vain to keep his anger and irritableness in check. It wouldn’t due to fly off the handle in irrational rage like Kylo was often so fond of doing. Though in this case, if he did fly off the handle at Kylo, at least the man wouldn’t be totally defenseless, being Force sensitive and battle hardened.

Not that he should care, really.

Hux found himself drawn against his will to look at the fabric hiding Kylo’s throat. The cowl, collar, and battle worn robe looked flimsy but they weren’t. Hux didn’t know much about the uniform of a Knight of Ren, but he did know that Kylo wouldn’t be caught dead in something that couldn’t protect his body at least to some degree.

Randomly, Hux thought, _Would it rip or shred? Or would the cloth dig into Ren’s skin, bruising it but protecting against sharp edges? What exactly is hidden under all that black? Perhaps Ren’s skin is deliciously soft in places or incredibly hard in others. I wonder if his blood tastes as fiery and unpredictable as his emotions._

Hux nearly flinched at the direction in where his thoughts were going. Kriffing hell, he needed to keep from losing control like this. Clenching his fists at his sides, the ginger tried to think of anything other than the coppery and increasingly delicious smell wafting from his co-commander’s body.

“They are obviously skilled in committing high treason. Perhaps Leader Snoke should consider using a clone army,” Kylo ranted, though every word seemed to fly out of his mouth like stomping nerfs. Gritting his teeth and trying to vie for patience – of which he never had much of to begin with, Kylo almost didn’t notice just how pale Hux was getting. 

But, then Hux managed to get ahead of him. Kylo stopped just shy of running the General over, noting with interest that the slightly shorter man was giving off different vibes now and was trying to stare him down. Normally when Kylo was around Hux he could sense that the ginger’s emotions were rigidly controlled or diluted. That was one of the original reasons why Kylo had started taking up exchanging sarcastic quips with him, was to see if he could draw anything substantially emotional from the General. 

It had morphed into something else, though Kylo was quick to deny that fact even to himself. And he definitely wouldn’t ever admit to actually look forward to verbally sparring with the usually stoic and ice cold older man – or that he frequently visualized other scenarios in which the outcome of those confrontations became more intense. 

Drawing his attention to Hux’s rigid stance, he noted without a doubt in his mind that something was different about the ginger’s emotions. The General usually projected more when he felt potent emotions like anger and annoyance, but it was nothing compared to this intense level. 

No, Hux wasn’t unaffected this time. In fact, the emotions swirling around the ginger made it feel like Hux was actually bathing in them. It was as if those emotions were invoking barely controlled chaos that just wanted any reason to break through.

What had him so out of control this time? Why was “now” so different? 

And why, did Kylo suddenly want more of that prickling dangerous feeling he was getting from Hux? It was powerfully dark, sensuous, and almost erotic, that feeling. 

Lust was a powerful emotion, and Kylo knew that some of the Knights of Ren used lust as an incredible power source, though he had never attempted to use it. And it wasn’t like he had found many in the past that he even felt attracted to, much less anyone he’d actually wanted to sleep with. 

At least not until Hux had come into his life. 

Hux – who was a cold, frustrating, and unattainable bastard. Yet he also had magnetic charisma, a sharp intelligence, and an unparalleled approach to owning sarcasm in its purest form. 

Kylo had been completely thrown when he’d first met the General, because the whole Hux package had been so achingly beautiful but also untouchable. The Force sensitive had tried telling himself that it was only lust – this attraction, and therefore not that important. But, then the sparring started happening more and more, and though he could wallow in his endless sea of denial, he knew that what he felt about Hux was something more than lust. Admiration, maybe. The man was incredibly brilliant, and Kylo had to grudgingly admit that he respected the General. Of course he’d rather filet his skin off than tell the ginger that. Either way it went, Kylo had never acted on his hidden desire for the other man, not truly knowing if the other male felt any mutual attraction in return. Hux’s emotions were always incredibly hard to discern. They were so completely diluted behind a thick wall of icy steel that Kylo really couldn’t tell what the man was thinking, much less feeling. Plus, the other man had been highly trained in protecting his mind against Force sensitives. So, it wasn’t like Kylo could touch his mind incognito. Yes, he could break the General, but Leader Snoke had forbidden it.

Now, that darkness practically pouring from and around Hux was drawing him in. Kriff, he was even getting half hard already from the feel of it. It made him very thankful for his looser flowing robes.

Snapping his attention to the irritated ginger in front of him, Kylo met his eyes and shivered as the General bit out, “My men are exceptionally trained; programmed from birth.” 

Hux grit his teeth and tried to breathe shallowly as a darker ice cold hunger started chilling his blood. His heart rate stayed low, but it wouldn’t be long before it started rising fast to try and keep his blood from getting too cold. The General continued to glower at the masked face, hoping against hope that this little confrontation was almost over. Hux truly didn’t know if he could take much more of this, especially today.

Not being able to help himself, Kylo inched closer to him, until he was close enough to take in a huge whiff of Hux’s scent. Something was different about this, too. The General smelled almost like snow if snow or ice had a more potent and baser smell than just wet. The forest smelling bath products Hux used masked the scent slightly but not by much. It was a unique and intoxicating scent. 

Though he knew that he shouldn’t be trying to touch Hux’s mind, Kylo reached out slightly to see if anything felt different. The darkness swirled around his questing mind, but otherwise left him alone. However, as soon as he touched Hux’s mind, the other male’s walls were impenetrable. Kriff, Kylo couldn’t even touch the walls, the defense was so frigidly monumental. That was definitely different. The last time he’d touched Hux’s mind, the walls had been there, and though strong, they were not without fault. 

What the hell was going on with Hux? When Hux didn’t budge or seem to show that he could feel the slight attempt on his mind, Kylo debated whether or not to needle the man some more verbally. Of course he knew he probably shouldn’t, but Hux was hanging by a thread, Kylo could at least tell that much. What would happen, if he pushed a bit more? 

Aloud Kylo muttered pointedly, “Then they should have no problem retrieving the droid, unharmed.” He made sure to stress the last word, knowing that it would get under Hux’s skin.

And he was right.

Hux felt his gums ache and he almost gave up on keeping up appearances. He was beyond tired, stressed, and now he was having the feeling of wintry bloodlust start to set in. Add irritableness and anger to the mix and it ended in up in a large deadly ball of dangerous. Hux narrowed his eyes at the other male and felt his eyes flare and contract slightly, knowing that he was damning himself for doing so. He had felt that slight attempt to feel his mental defenses. And though it should have been a laughable attempt, Hux knew that Kylo was only being cautious. The man was nothing, if not a creature that could break minds easily. Still, the man should know when to leave well enough alone. 

Perhaps his eyes flickering would get the point across that he was not one to be messed with today. Kylo never knew when to stop, despite the General’s numerous attempts to show the menace when his attentions weren’t welcome. 

Hux gave him one last chance. Calmly, Hux warned softly, “Careful, Ren – that your personal interest not interfere with orders from Leader Snoke.” He allowed his inner true nature come to the surface in a few slow flickers through his vision.

[](https://imgur.com/4SCg91v?1)

Kylo blinked slowly, almost missing the flicker of red and silver in Hux’s normal icy blue eyes. Perhaps he’d imagined it? Narrowing his own dark gaze at the ginger, he spotted it again, though the act was slower this time. It was as if Hux was warning him to back off, but not just because of the argument. Something was wrong. Those eyes now were promising intense pain, and though Kylo was no stranger to torture, something about the feel of that gaze burned through him, making him almost stop in his verbal tracks. 

Kylo was also known to be very much the masochist when it came to most things, so he pressed one last time, making sure to get into Hux’s personal space, consequences be damned. Lowly, he murmured in a purr, “I want that map. For your sake, I suggest you get it.”

As he brushed past the other man, Kylo nudged him with his shoulder, adding insult to injury. It was now or never who would give in to this battle of wills. Turns out he didn’t have to wait long for the reaction he was hoping for. Still, the small, frustrated, and animalistic growl that came out of Hux’s mouth caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up. The distraction caused him to nearly miss Hux’s intent. The man moved faster than Kylo could react however. Reaching around, the ginger clamped a firm grip onto the taller man’s wrist and swiftly yanked. The knight’s back suddenly met the hard tiled ground of the bridge with a muffled thud. 

_Small favors for that soft clothing,_ Hux mused dryly as he mounted the beast and looked down at the unruly man underneath his nimble form. 

Before Kylo could defend himself, Hux had a lean arm jabbed into the Force sensitive’s windpipe underneath the helmet, and was effectively pinning the other man with ease. 

Kylo caught a sight he never thought he’d see coming from General Hux. Hux’s eyes were no longer flickering between red rimmed silver and blue; they were now solid black slitted irises, surrounded by swirling crimson pupils. To top that off, sharp fangs were peeking out between Hux’s lips. A long forgotten word whispered vampire in the back of his mind. For an intense few seconds, Hux looked like he might not just hurt Kylo, but also devour him. It was the most erotic thing Kylo had ever seen in his life, the pain of his cut off windpipe forgotten. 

The fact that the General was actively pinning him with lithe legs pressing into his chest and hip was a factor that was also too much to take in. Some rational part in is his brain was hollering at him to flip the other man, and another part was telling him to get away from the darkness that was Hux. Kylo couldn’t move even if he’d wanted to, he was so transfixed. 

Hux seemed to notice Kylo’s predicament, for he allowed his now clawed fingers to trail down Kylo’s chest with his free hand. There was slight annoyance flickering through Hux at the thought of now having to replace a perfectly good pair of black gloves due to Kylo. His claws had easily shredded through the leather tips of each finger and thumb. Though the action was light and sensuous, Kylo knew that those claws added a murderous flare to the otherwise mundane gesture. Before the sparklies caused by his cut off air supply could swallow Kylo’s vision, Hux was off of him, releasing him. Kylo blinked a few times before he got up and coughed slightly, watching as Hux carefully brushed off imaginary dust from his clothes. Hux’s eyes had gone back to normal, his fangs and claws retracted. Kylo refrained from rubbing his throat, knowing full well that it would be considered a testament of just how much Hux had practically blindsided him. 

Hux let out a soft sigh, feeling ironically exhilarated even though he’d been the one to cave and make a scene in the middle of the bridge. After noting that no one on the bridge were none the wiser at what had just happened considering it all occurred in a quick blur of motion, Hux smirked slowly at Kylo. The act caused the other man to ask hoarsely, the trembling in his voice concealed by the voice modulator on his mask, “Something amusing, General?”

The ginger licked his lips in an uncharacteristic playful act and said softly for Kylo’s ears only, “Perhaps. But, though I know you won’t take heed of my words, I still feel a strange urge to warn you. If you push me too hard Ren, you might get yourself killed.” 

He then leaned into the other man’s personal space – taking one from Kylo’s book of intimidation, and he pointedly narrowed his eyes as he purred, “But don’t worry, I’ll make sure you enjoy every second of the torture before your heart stops beating.”

Hux knew that later on, when he’d calmed down enough, that he’d be appalled at how much he’d enjoyed pinning Kylo to the floor. And that he’d actually threatened the man in the middle of the bridge, too. Kylo at least wasn’t damaged despite having a slightly bruised throat. How he had managed to keep himself from ripping the Force sensitive’s throat out was a mystery if not a miracle. He’d surprised Kylo, otherwise Hux knew he probably wouldn’t have been able to touch the knight, much less pin him to the ground.

And there was that not so small fact that he’d sort of propositioned Kylo as well, even though he’d never laid eyes on what was behind that black mask of his. True, he’d seen one rare and incredibly fragmented holovid of prior footage from when Kylo had first joined up with Leader Snoke some six years beforehand – and even then the man had been well cloaked in black. Those eyes however had gleamed dark as the shadowed side of a great oak tree, and they had been so expressive. Hux remembered thinking that those eyes were captivating, even if they had only just been showing on a very badly damaged holovid. Leader Snoke had kept him well hidden for three years for training purposes, before Hux had been assigned to work with the newly masked knight. 

Those dark eyes might still be the same, but a lot can change in six years. 

Regardless of all that, Hux had to admit that Kylo’s blood called to him. And really, it’s not like there was much of a choice in partners to be had on the Finalizer. Plus, Kylo was about the only other male person that was of a parallel rank that Hux actually felt respect for. At least when it came to fighting abilities. And he had to admit in some small spot in the back of his mind that Kylo could keep up in verbal play, so he couldn’t be that completely an ignoramus. So, Hux figured perhaps he should have realized that things would escalate.

It didn’t matter that the crew was none the wiser, or that the security footage of what just happened wouldn’t have shown much of anything besides blurs. Hux still knew better. It’s not a surprise that Hux would probably down a couple shots of whiskey and contemplate slamming his face into a wall later on behind closed doors. 

Though he wasn’t dramatic enough to completely fall to pieces over something like this, he’d still need to plan his next moves with Kylo carefully, just in case there was any retaliation.

Despite the upcoming doom, the General was feeling much better. The act of drawing his fangs and then retracting them had made his gums feel better, so that was a small mercy. As for his bloodlust, perhaps the small act of violence against Kylo had allowed him to feel more in control. It was a welcome distraction, if not totally needed.

Kylo stood there for a long moment, regarding the General with mixed emotions. He felt the normal swirl of emotions, rage still being chief amongst them, but now he also felt something else. It wasn’t fear, or frustration. It was more along the lines of feeling incredibly aroused. Hux’s words had added fuel to the flame deep within his blood despite the cold promise that had accompanied them. He could have retaliated right then and there, could have Force choked the other man in attempt to cover up his blinding need, but he didn’t really want to. 

Finally, Kylo clenched his fists and said curtly, “We shall see, General.” And then he stormed off the bridge, knowing that both men had gained and lost ground today.

There were no winners, regardless of how pleased Hux was of himself. It was a stalemate. But, it promised intense rematches. Kylo might have crossed a line, and depending on where it led, he might live or not live to regret his decisions. It still didn’t matter to Kylo. More than ever now he wanted - needed to pursue Hux, especially since the man had hinted at wanting Kylo as well, though it could have been just adrenaline talking. 

No matter. Kylo huffed softly as he made his way to the nearest interrogation room to give himself a little time with his lightsaber and his destructive rage. Hux would be his, regardless of what kind of creature the ginger truly was – even if it broke Kylo apart to possess him.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

Techie blinked slowly as he nibbled on a caf dunked nutrition bar, his bionic dark blue eyes whirring as he monitored one of the bridge security feeds on a large database flat screen. Arching a ginger eyebrow in confusion, the hunched over lanky human tapped a few keys on the large keyboard in front of him. The picture enhanced and after enlarging a small section of the feed, the male played back the last five minutes.

Seeing Lord Ren and General Hux have their small spats was a not so secret fetish of Techie’s. He loved watching the two verbally spar, and the dancing around eachother that they did. It made his days more enjoyable and he often looked forward to seeing the interactions and felt strangely depressed whenever they didn’t happen. Life as a security monitoring technician was mundane, so watching the two spar was like watching the latest holovid sensation. 

Boring as it was, the mundaneness of the job is actually what attracted Techie to the position. Leaving Peach Trees, Mega City 1, and of course Earth six months prior had been a little difficult, but not impossible, managing to stow away on a First Order cargo ship heading for the Resurgent Class Star Destroyer called the Finalizer. Once on board the cargo ship, and after the crew had gone to sleep, Techie – who was good at being stealthy and sneaky like a mouse – had been able to hack into the First Order network using the ship’s control system, and had patched himself in a new identity, a new history, and perhaps now a new life. It was there that he’d found out about the job opening as a surveillance systems tech and had jumped onto it.

Once he had arrived on the Finalizer, he had snuck into a technician’s vacant quarters – easily hacking the restriction controls on the man’s door, and stole some clothing that were a bit too small for him. Then the resourceful ginger had left the quarters and had gone down to apply for the job. His luck or perhaps the Force had been with him that day, and he had gotten the job on the spot.

As long as he got to be in front of a main frame computer system with not much interaction with other people, then he was content.

Perhaps he wasn’t happy, but at least he didn’t feel scared out of his mind or overwhelmed. It wasn’t that he hated people, or that he was incredibly antisocial (ok, well he wasn’t _THAT_ antisocial), he just couldn’t deal with the _noise_. If he dealt with one to three or so people at a time, then Techie could usually handle drowning out their thoughts. Any more than that caused Techie to have a javelin soul splitting migraine.

Techie wasn’t stupid by any means. He knew that he was different from everyone else to a fault. The fact that he could hear people’s thoughts shouting like a bunch of banshees into his brain was not something any normal human being would be cursed with. The louder the thoughts, the more painful they were. And though he’d been tested like everyone else in the First Order for Force sensitivity, nothing ever showed up as anything beyond normal. So, he’d kept to himself and kept his curse a secret, knowing that they’d probably put him in a lab or worse to dissect and experiment on him; to try and figure out how he ticked. 

And Techie had had enough of torture and pain at the hands of Mama to last several lifetimes. 

As long as he did his job, and kept away from people in general, then he’d be able to survive at least, if not live comfortably.

Narrowing his gaze slightly, his bionic eyes contracting, Techie noted that something definitely didn’t seem right in the footage that he was viewing. 

“ _Kriff_ ,” he huffed as he focused more on the two and replayed the feed, this time with volume. The bridge didn’t have much noise going on, though it was still hard to hear the General and Lord Ren speaking. Techie’s ears were sensitive, however, so he could pick up on most of it. 

One of the main reasons why he loved watching the General and Lord Ren interacting with one another is the fact that both were incredibly entertaining. And sometimes their insults to one another had Techie beside himself with mirth. 

There was also the fact that Techie respected the two. Both excelled at their jobs, regardless if one or the other got too nerf-headed in their ways. Both knew how to defend themselves. But, what Techie really respected was that they also knew how to block their minds from intruders. Their thoughts were blessedly _quiet_ unless one or the other let their mental walls slip slightly. 

He remembered the very first time he’d seen both in action, which was about six months ago when he’d only been working on the Finalizer for about a week. Techie had never met the two (and still hasn’t), but he had heard tales about them. So, it wasn’t hard to guess who was arguing as they came down the hall towards one of the main server rooms. Techie had been shadowing the trainer and taking notes on his data pad when the sparsely populated room suddenly got even sparser. Techie had felt a nervous fear run through his veins, not full on terror but close enough to cause him to tremble and clutch his data pad close to his chest. His supervisor had fallen silent, and motioned him to just be quiet. Not that Techie had said much besides a few mumbles the whole day.

It wasn’t long before a tall, dark masked person headed into a monitoring station right across from the server room and started wailing on the fragile instruments with a venomously crackling, cross guarded red lightsaber. 

That definitely was Lord Kylo Ren.

Clutching the data pad so hard his knuckles were white, Techie had watched in horrified fascination as the male proceeded to have one of the biggest temper tantrums he’d ever seen. Though Mama and her gang had been brutal and prone to their own fits of temper especially when dealing out punishments, he’d never seen them look this tormented. Kylo looked to be in such a rage, but the feel of intense pain coming off of him from inner torment nearly staggered Techie. 

Then a tall ginger, dressed impeccably in full uniform and not a hair out of place on his head had come up behind Lord Ren, bitter exasperation covering his features. Techie had blinked slowly as the General had started ranting in biting tones at the dangerous beast in front of him, giving him a dressing down about damaging needed assets to the First Order.

His voice had been sharp and damaging as he’d even stated plainly, “I don’t believe this, Ren. You are not four years old anymore; you don’t need to throw a tantrum every time something doesn’t go your way.”

When Kylo had turned and glowered through his black mask at the ginger, Techie had literally felt the waves of darkness and anger coming off of both men as they stalemated. Then Kylo had growled lowly, “You know nothing about what I am going through, General. Be thankful I haven’t taken my anger out on you thus far. Don’t start giving me a reason to.”

“Oh _please_ , Ren. Save your threats for someone who actually cares. You act as if I actually care about your insecure obnoxious little feelings. Well, here’s news for you, I **don’t** care,” the General had shot back, and then had leaned into the dark knight’s personal space, not even minding the crackling lightsaber still live and livid at the other man’s side. He had then pointedly stated, “Go throw yourself out of an airlock if you can’t take it anymore, Ren. In fact, why don’t you do us both a favor and kill me first so I don’t have to witness you become an annoying martyr?”

“Be careful, General. I might actually do that,” Kylo had warned, his fist clenching his saber’s hilt tightly.

Hux had snorted slightly and sarcastically stated, “Well then. Do it soon would you? If not, please _TRY_ to control yourself around sensitive equipment. It really is a nuisance having to order new expensive replacements due to your immature volatile temper tantrums.”

“Well, I apologize if I destroyed your precious equipment while giving in to the Dark Side of the Force. Do you want me to sing a heartfelt lament for your loss?” Kylo all but growled, sarcasm practically dripping from his words. “You seem to have such an _obsession_ for them and this ship.”

“As if you even have a heart to begin with,” Hux spat back, his arms crossing over his chest in ire. “And of _COURSE_ I am obsessed with this ship. I designed it, you son of a bantha’s left nipple. And though it may be the property of the First Order it might as well be **MINE**. Why, are you jealous?”

After a long tense moment there was silence only broken by the sound of Kylo Ren’s crackling lightsaber. And then, the knight had disengaged his lightsaber and leaned up against a ruined door frame, arms folding over his chest; his stance taking on that of an amused predator instead of the angry demon he’d been just a moment beforehand. “Son of a bantha’s left nipple. That’s a new one. And no, I can’t be jealous of something that doesn’t matter to me.”

“Glad you approve, not that I need it coming from you,” Hux quipped back, though he narrowed his eyes pointedly. “Regardless if you care about me or not, I am sure you _WILL_ care if this ship self-destructs while you are on board because you’ve managed to damage it too much. So, if not for _MY_ sake, then for the First Order’s sake, _STOP_ **karking** around with it!”

Captain Phasma had then come in on the scene, causing both men to postpone their dispute until later. The tension had cleared quickly after that. Eventually the three had walked on, not seeming to care about the two subordinates watching them, or what they had witnessed. Techie should have left it at that. But, the strange fact was, that those two volatile men had been strangely quiet mentally despite their verbal ire. 

Techie had felt such a sense of aching relief that he’d forgotten his fear for long moments. Plus, the two had been kind of hilarious.

It was then that Techie had started watching them covertly, but only when they were together. Alone, both men were formidable, but together they were destructively beautiful. And since Techie was also making sure to keep an eye on the other security feeds while he watched the two, no one had said anything about his little fetish.

And if he had done some covert research on the two on his off time (holovids were beautiful things and Techie could practically hack into everything), who cared?

Now, though, something was really strange about this recent interaction. Techie saw blurs in the feed, which were normal if the cameras were experiencing weather outside, but this was happening on the bridge. Freezing the frames right before the General and Lord Ren went off screen, Techie started the feed back up frame by frame. His eyes widened comically as he spotted what had happened.

Techie rubbed his aching red rimmed eyelids and muttered, “I really must be tired.” 

Then he looked again, and sure enough, the frames showed Hux grab Kylo by the wrist and slam him down onto the floor like some weakly demented doll. Karking hell. Techie slowly stretched and started typing commands on the keys, finding the secondary camera on the bridge. He quickly found what he was looking for and started watching the footage where the last one left the screen. 

Holy shit.

The General had pinned Lord Ren on the floor for a brief few seconds before letting him up. They both then acted as if nothing had happened at all and soon went about their business. Still, there was something else. Techie zoomed in and rewound the feed one last time, knowing that he needed to check on other sections of the ship soon. Licking his chapped lips, the ginger pushed his greasy hair away from his face, randomly noting that he needed to wash it. His eyes narrowed even more – if that were possible, and he froze the feed.

There, right in front of him, was a picture that was both damning and erotic in every sense of the imagination. The fangs, red eyes, and intense vicious look on Hux’s face while he was pinning Kylo – like he was about to rip the beast to shreds; it all turned Techie on almost to the point of pain. 

“Damn, he could so overload my power cables,” Techie practically moaned out. Both of them could, if he really thought about it. Remembering where he was, Techie flushed slightly and looked around cautiously to make sure no one was paying attention. There were only three other people in the room with him, and it was a pretty big room, but still. Noting that everything was as it should be, Techie turned his attention back at the picture in front of him. 

With a self-depreciating sigh, he knew that it wasn’t meant to be. What Lord Ren and the General had between them was untouchable, and he a forgotten bystander. Though he’d never met either one, regardless of the many times he had been present to witness their game in person, Techie couldn’t help but wish that something would happen. Techie, however, wasn’t one to hope that he could be friends with anyone, much less be desired. 

But, as he looked longingly at that frame, knowing that he should be freaked out by the fact that Hux had a fangy, red eyed secret, strangely Techie really wished that he’d catch their eyes. What would it feel like to have those intense red eyes on him? And what was really behind that mask that Lord Ren insisted on wearing? Would he be just as intense?

Something deep inside Techie knew that he was playing a dangerous game with himself. 

Plus, it’s not like he’d know what to do if either one of those two ever noticed him, much less talked to him. Chewing his lower lip a bit and before he could truly hesitate in what he was doing, he sent himself a personal encrypted email of a screenshot of the picture and deleted that section of footage from both feeds. Quickly and seamlessly patching both feeds to loop through the passed time, Techie was confident in this at least that Hux’s secret was safe with him.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

General Hux rubbed his face tiredly as he looked up from his personal data pad. Kriff, he was practically a live wire of aching useless meat. With a muffled groan, he leaned back in his chair and stretched his tired muscles until his bones started clicking. Millicent stretched with him, though mostly kept herself snugly nestled on his lap. Idly, he ran his fingers over her soft feline ears before blinking owlishly at the time.

It had been two days since the incident on the bridge.

Two long, tense days filled with intense hunger, irritableness, and worry. 

At long last though, he now only had two more hours to wait before he could finally take care of the hunger part. Kylo had been keeping his distance, though Hux knew it wouldn’t last. The man would probably have questions, it just depended on if the volatile man was capable of being mature enough to ask those questions. Not that Hux was really sure if he wanted to answer those questions or not.

The crew, though not having noticed much out of the ordinary on the bridge the other day, had started up rumors. There were small rumors, ones that were overshadowed by bigger rumors about FN-2187’s traitorous actions. But, they would fizzle out eventually. As long as there wasn’t another disaster like what had happened on the bridge, then Hux’s secret was still safe from the crew at least.

Hux had made sure to keep mostly to himself, moreso than normal, as it was in the crew’s best interest. His hunger was barely manageable, and if it weren’t for the fact that he had to keep an eye on the ongoing droid/pilot/traitor search and recovery process, Hux would have stayed put in his rooms. Phasma probably could have taken extra shifts, but Hux never liked asking her to cover for him, especially when he wasn’t ill. He may have an annoying affliction, but he wasn’t going to be caught dead letting it control his life.

At least he only had two more hours to go.

Hearing a knock at the door caused Hux’s optimism to sink. 

The only one who would bother him at this time of night (or early morning) was Kylo. 

So, naturally he was surprised to see Mitaka instead. “Dopheld, what is it?” Hux asked, genuinely surprised. He knew he probably looked completely and utterly wrecked, but if the lieutenant noticed he didn’t show it. Then Hux took in the disheveled appearance of the younger man, noting the nasty looking bruises covering the man’s throat and sighed. 

At least Kylo had let the poor bastard _live_.

“Sir, there’s been an incident in Security Surveillance Room 125,” Mitaka hoarsely stated, then he added with a shiver of barely contained fear, “Lord Ren is asking for your assistance in a matter.”

 _Pfassk,_ Hux thought, though aloud he nodded, “I doubt he is asking for my assistance. More like he told you to demand my assistance I suppose?”

When the smaller man hesitated but then nodded in assent, Hux sighed. “Why the devil didn’t he just send me a message?”

“Um, sir, he tried to both send a message and a com, but you didn’t answer, so he sent me instead,” Mitaka admitted, flushing awkwardly. “I was asleep sir, as this is my rest cycle, but Lord Ren woke me up with an urgent com message, so I got here as soon as I could.”

So those bruises must have been from earlier. Not that it mattered.

Hux rubbed his eyes tiredly and snorted. He guessed he must have turned off the sound to his notifications earlier so he could finish his work uninterrupted. Kylo had at least attempted to message and com him made Hux feel a bit less annoyed, but the feeling was quashed by the fact that the Force user had not only abused Mitaka earlier, but also later sent him to go fetch the General like a dog. 

He really should have known better. As it was, he was simply too tired to be angry. Just two more hours and he could take his suppressant. Hopefully this problem that Kylo oh so needed his help with would be resolved by then. Still, Hux wasn’t a fool, so he told Mitaka to be on his way, suggested that he go to the med bay for something for those bruises, and headed back inside his rooms to snatch up the suppressor injection.

Putting it snuggly up against his breast in a pocket on his ebony gray button down, Hux pulled on his General’s overcoat and headed out the door, fully arming himself as he went. No harm in being prepared. 

Curious now to see what Kylo needed help with, Hux allowed himself to glide past the mostly empty halls, only putting more feeling and weight into his feet if there were Stormtroopers stationed nearby. Some lower ranked officers saluted him as he passed by, but otherwise he was left alone as he made his way down to the Security Surveillance room. Knowing most of the ship like the back of his hand, it didn’t take but ten minutes to arrive. 

When he got there, he was stunned at the scene he encountered.

Kylo Ren, helmetless, was crouching in front of a young security technician and was cradling the man’s head in his gloveless hands. The other man was sitting in a defensive position, propped up against what Hux assumed was his desk, his fingers white as he clutched around his knees that were pressed up against his chest. Blood was trickling out of his nose and he looked to be in a great deal of pain. His blue bionic eyes were blown wide like a deer caught in the headlights, though Hux could see that they were transfixed by Kylo’s gaze.

[](https://imgur.com/aTLJ2eo?1)

Before Hux jumped to any conclusions, he looked around the room. Nothing seemed to be amiss except for the rather large pile of dead bodies on the other side of the room. Blood and tissue were splattered everywhere, and if it weren’t for the fact that Hux was completely and utterly stunned and disgusted, he’d probably be feel his bloodlust rising in astronomical levels. 

Any thought or desire for a meal though fled when the technician let out a soft cry in distress. It was a wretched and pitiful sound, making something deep inside Hux twinge in sympathy. Pushing that feeling away, Hux surveyed everything again, coming to the conclusion that Kylo probably hadn’t been the one to cause this. 

Kylo Ren might maim and kill when he wanted to, but he was rather the type of person to take out his frustrations on inanimate objects or at least non-living things. Regrettably if he did decide to harm a subordinate, he did choke holds or other things that were less messy, like breaking a person’s mind to get the information he wanted. Plus, there was no smell of burning, so Kylo had not engaged his lightsaber. 

Still incredibly puzzled, Hux breathed, “What the _pfassk_ happened?” 

His eyes raked over the two forms, noting with mild interest that the shivering, traumatized technician was wearing a garish yellow sweater covering his traditional uniform of tan fatigues. The color did not help the technician’s sallow complexion, nor did it go with the ginger longer-than-regulation matted hair on top of his head. 

Still, those bionic beautiful eyes captured Hux, even if they weren’t looking at him. He had seen many humans with artificial organs or body parts in his lifetime but these eyes were exceptionally unique. Whoever had replaced his prior eyes had done a terrible job, however. The skin around the technician’s eyes was red and inflamed, and from the looks of them, they had been that way for quite a while. 

Nothing else was noteworthy except for a faint slave tattoo brand on the right side of his neck and a crudely branded tattoo near his hairline. Hux really couldn’t tell what that particular tattoo said from his standpoint. ‘Male’, maybe?

Then there was the fact that the technician had an uncanny resemblance to himself. Without the obvious physical signs of fatigue, fear, pain, and years of abuse and neglect, this technician looked like he could be Hux’s doppelganger. 

His attention snapped to Kylo as the man murmured softly, his tone calm probably due to the fact that he was still concentrating and not wanting to frighten the technician moreso, “You’re late.” 

Typical.

Still his gentle tone coming out of that normally sarcastic mouth calmed Hux’s exasperation before he said something he shouldn’t. That voice was very different from the modulator on Kylo’s helmet. Also, the fact that Kylo was being so careful with the technician surprised Hux. Narrowing his eyes thoughtfully, Hux took a few seconds to observe his helmetless adversary. The face was expressive and handsome in a ruggedly awkward way. Moles and freckles dotted an otherwise unscarred expanse of soft looking skin. Kylo’s skin color was darker than his own, but not quite tanned. Full lips, characteristic nose, and delicate eyelashes….those same, dark brown intense eyes, and a swath of long dark brown luscious hair…. Kriff, the man was incredibly attractive and young looking.

Keeping his voice soft so he didn’t otherwise damage the concentration between the Force sensitive and the technician, Hux admitted, “I was busy finishing up some more paperwork. I didn’t want to be disturbed.” He then asked again, “What happened, Ren?”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Techie didn’t know what had happened to cause this, or why. One minute he was getting ready to sign off for the day from work so he could go by the commissary to get some late night shopping done (when there weren’t many people out at that hour), and the next minute he had been surrounded by a group of thugs. The other three technicians had signed off a few minutes before and the next shift had only one person to replace him since it was a night cycle. Techie recognized one technician as the one that was supposed to replace him. Some others he had seen before. They were lower level maintenance workers and others were some officers, but some he’d never seen before, not even on his surveillance feeds.

It had then occurred to him as one had tried to order him to leave and forget he ever saw anything, that this was either a mole operation or a sabotage operation. When Techie had mumbled that he actually just needed to clock out, a lower ranking officer he hadn’t recognized tried to intimidate him with a blaster, and that’s when everything went crazy.

He had heard their thoughts and what they really intended to do and what their endgame was. 

The mental voices were so cruel and loud, nearly driving mental knives into Techie’s skull, and then something had happened. All those memories of being tortured, belittled, and nearly murdered over and over again by Mama and her cohorts had surged through him, causing him to scream in agony. The pain was too great and he did the only thing he could, he pushed the officer away in order to escape. The need to escape had been harsh and imperative, but then everything else that happened next was horrifyingly strange. One push of his hand and the group had literally flown back into the other side of the room, breaking apart into a splash of crimson, hitting computer screens, keyboards, desks and servers. 

He had then sunken onto his ass on the floor and had curled in on himself, trying hard not to pass out as a full on panic attack had crashed into him. All he’d wanted was to get away, to not hurt anymore. He hadn’t wanted to kill them. Though now he wasn’t sad to see them dead. What they had wanted to do to General Hux and Lord Ren was horrible. Plain and simple. Of course the first part would be to hack into the surveillance system to disable it near the General’s quarters first, then the knight’s corridor second. 

The fact that the other technician had been a Force sensitive hadn’t helped. Techie didn’t know why he’d known that, but he had. And he hadn’t the foggiest idea how the man had been able to flow under the radar of tests when joining up with the First Order. And what was even more mind boggling, is that Techie had literally destroyed the Force sensitive before he even had a chance to defend himself.

After he’d been fighting his panic attack for a few minutes, Lord Ren had found him. Techie hadn’t known whether to laugh hysterically or piss his pants. So, instead he’d just sat there, trembling, and trying hard not to pass out, his arms hugging his legs to his chest. His head had hurt so bad and if he’d had actual human eyes, then he probably would have had sparkling dots in his line of vision. Faintly, he had felt a strange sensation of wet trickling down past his lips. The smell of blood had been acrid in the air as the knight looked around for a long moment before he had taken out a small touch pad on his wrist and typed off a message. After a minute of nothing happening, the knight had let out an irritated sigh. Looking down at Techie, Kylo had regarded him for one long moment before he used a small com to call General Hux. When no one had answered, he let out a growl and then had sent a com to Mitaka to get General Hux. 

Afterwards, and still regarding Techie, who had tried very hard to look as weak and defenseless as possible, the knight had taken off his helmet. He then put it on the end of Techie’s desk next to all of the little wire figurines he had been making, and had crouched down to look him over. Techie had looked over those features and numbly thought the man was beautiful.

Techie had known he was going into shock, and he should have been terrified of this man, of what he could do. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry. I didn’t _mean_ to….”

The Force sensitive had narrowed his eyes slightly as he regarded the trembling male, probably debating what to do. Finally, he had tugged his gloves off of his hands and reached slowly out to touch Techie’s temples. “Show me….” Kylo’s voice had murmured so gently that Techie almost thought he’d imagined it.

The voice had sounded deep and musical, and it soothed his fraying sanity, enough so he could breathe. Then Kylo had splayed his hands on either side of Techie’s face, and he’d felt the Force sensitive’s mind touching his. It had been the strangest experience he’d ever felt. Even the Judge that had touched his mind back in the Peach Trees complex in Mega City 1 hadn’t felt this strange. Her touch had been direct and sharp, making him feel trapped within his own memories. But, Kylo’s touch had been different. 

They had stayed like that for long moments until the General had shown up. 

Kylo was now trying to gently tug Techie’s thoughts to what had happened. Techie let out a mewl of distress as he viewed what he’d done. He didn’t want to watch it. He didn’t want anyone else to see. Kylo kept his eyes linked with Techie’s as he let the other man breathe for a minute or two before he continued. 

After another long few moments, Kylo murmured, “The Resistance, it seems, sent us a gift in the form of infiltrating assassins.”

“Joy,” Hux wrinkled his nose at the pile of human remains on the other side of the room. “So, how did they manage to become a big blob served at a wampa meat buffet? Not that I am complaining, of course.”

Kylo gently rubbed his fingers over Techie’s temples, his hands so big that they could cover half of the technician’s face if he cupped it. The fact that the technician looked incredibly similar to General Hux made him intrigued, but not overly so. He had seen Hux’s unofficial and official records and knew that the man was an only child. If anything, the technician might be a very distant relation, but Kylo didn’t think so. There were too many differences. Plus, Techie’s mind felt like a polar opposite to Hux’s. This man had no defenses in his mind, and yet, he wasn’t afraid of Kylo.

“The technician killed them,” Kylo explained, though he continued to search the other’s mind. “I am trying to figure out how.”

He remembered this awkward and somewhat smelly technician. When the technician had first come on board the Finalizer six months past, Kylo had sensed the deep rooted pain that the other male was dealing with. Kylo had been curious at first, noting that the male’s mind was a horror story waiting to happen, but he really wasn’t projecting. Despite feeling the urge to transfer the man to a different ship due to the night terrors he had – of which Kylo sensed and felt echoes of them pass through his own defenses almost nightly, the man was good at his job, even if he was more spazzy than Mitaka on ten cups of caf. And since the technician had kept to himself, and was loyal to General Hux and himself almost to a fault, Kylo hadn’t seen any reason to bother with him. 

He’d let him stay.

Now, however, he sensed what he hadn’t before now. A small spark was there that hadn’t been. It had been awakened by the attack, it seems. Techie let out another mewl of discomfort as Kylo started searching deeper.

“Really? That’s interesting,” Hux murmured, regarding the technician in a new light. 

“No, no, no! Wait… _wait_ ….please… don’t,” Techie breathed out piteously, and then he moved. “I’ll tell you anything…. _anything_ you want. Just please don’t… it _hurts_.”

He was reaching out to touch Kylo, and if Hux was any other man, he’d have grabbed his weapon just to be safe. But, Hux knew that Kylo was a big boy and could defend himself should he need to. Not that the technician looked like he could do much of anything, ensnared by Kylo’s mind like he was.

Still, there was something off about the technician that Hux was now beginning to sense. There was a bucket load of raw pain – so much of it that even a Force null could feel it. But also, the frail man’s blood smelled a bit like Kylo’s. It was a bit spicier than he was used to scenting from the knight but otherwise it was very similar. It would smell and taste good if the male was calm and pliant, but Hux dragged his thoughts out of that area.

Damn, it was getting so close to the time when he could take his suppressant, but it’s not as if he could tell the two that he’d be back in a minute. Perhaps he could disguise the act by saying he was calling for a medical cleanup crew. But, he disregarded the thought, knowing he was most anxious to find out how this all had happened before anything was even remotely touched.

And though Kylo would never thank him for it, he figured that the Force sensitive would appreciate no unnecessary interruptions while he was mind linked with the traumatized individual. Strangely enough, Hux also wanted to see this come to fruition, whatever it was. Perhaps it was morbid curiosity, but Hux wanted to see the endgame to this.

Hux turned to close the door to the security room, locking it from the inside. Though Hux knew that the Finalizer was still in a night cycle, it was best to have the Force sensitive with as less distractions as possible. Hopefully it wouldn’t take much longer. The bodies of the former infiltrators were going to start smelling worse as they decayed, and Hux really, really hated the smell of rotting flesh and stale blood. Fresh blood was one thing, even spilled blood was another. But stale blood from death smelled horrid.

After Kylo was silent for a few more minutes, Hux finally walked over to sit down next to the knight, making sure to be as quiet as possible as to not alarm the technician. Carefully watching the both of them with narrowed blue eyes, Hux could see that Kylo was sweating from the effort of holding back. Normally Kylo had to expend very little effort in extracting information he wanted, but that usually resulted in mind rape. So this must be a bit of a challenge for the Force sensitive, actually trying not to cause more pain to the technician.

Raking his gaze over to the technician, who had finally ended up touching Kylo’s chest in a vain attempt to stop the man from digging too deep, Hux noted that up close and personal, the victimized human was actually not bad looking. If the man cleaned up a bit, got some real sleep, and had a wardrobe overhaul in regulation dark greys, then the technician probably would look a bit stunning. 

The man was still trembling, but not as much as before. In fact, it seemed as though he was calming down considerably. 

Hux had often wondered what it would feel like, being able to read minds like Kylo did. Then he remembered his suppressant and the reasons as to why he never allowed himself the privilege to find out. He had been taking the suppressants every year since he could remember, his father forcing it on him at first, and then he taking up the mantle himself. There was only one time he’d allowed himself to stop taking it. 

That one and only time had resulted in him draining his father dry in front of Phasma. 

He’d been barely sixteen at the time. 

Despite the fact that he had felt immense relief that the brute of a man he had an unfortunate relation to was dead, Hux had felt the consuming fear of what he truly was. It wasn’t the power he feared, nor the symptoms. It was the fact that his kind had so many weaknesses. 

So, he had started taking the suppressants again, though he knew one day, his body would start rejecting them. He just hoped that someone would be strong enough to kill him should he ever become a raging beast.

Still, the urge to reach out and touch both individuals mentally was hard to resist. 

“Telling me about it isn’t going to change anything,” Kylo murmured, gritting his teeth. “I need to **see** it.”

“No, no…it hurts….” Techie pleaded, his mind shying away from those horrible memories. “Please don’t make me.”

Techie didn’t want to remember Mama or her thugs. He didn’t want to relive all that pain and torture. If he could cry, his tears would be numerous despite how soft and warm Kylo’s mind was feeling inside his. It was almost like a comforting glove there, running fingers around the parts that ached, that still burned. Techie clutched Kylo’s tunic with his fists, shivering slightly as Kylo leaned in closer, the Force sensitive’s eyes flaring rings of swirling gold. 

“Don’t resist me, Techie….” Kylo finally murmured softly, his tone resigned but gentle. When Techie relaxed more, he began again, this time digging a bit more despite not wanting to. 

_Techie?_ Hux briefly wondered if ‘Techie’ was a nickname that the technician had given himself or if that in fact was his real name. After all of this was dealt with, he and Kylo were going to have to have a long much needed talk.

Despite what his subordinates and enemies thought, Kylo hated ripping minds apart. He only did it when he had to, and when he did do it, he made sure to make it quick so the pain would be over quickly. 

Kylo leaned in closer, his nose almost touching the technician’s. Techie’s mind was already damaged, and despite not wanting to cause the other more unnecessary pain, Kylo needed to know when the other man had started mentally hearing things. The Force sensitive wanted to know if the man had just been born with it, or if it had awakened later. The fact that Techie could hear thoughts and not be a Force sensitive was puzzling. It was a rare gift for a human, though in Techie’s case, it was pure and simple torture. It was like he couldn’t fight against the noise, couldn’t block it out.

If Techie was somehow a late bloomer Force sensitive, then he would need to be trained. 

And since Techie was a special case, perhaps it would be best if Kylo was the one to teach him the ways of the Force. It wouldn’t be easy, Kylo knew that. Techie was incredibly fragile, but if his survival instinct was powerful enough to do what it had done on those infiltrators, then he could be a danger to himself and others if left unchecked. 

_It’ll hurt worse if you resist. Believe it or not I am not trying to hurt you,_ Kylo whispered into Techie’s mind, causing him to flinch slightly.

 _I know,_ Techie replied back, not even knowing he’d done it verbally. _It’s just too much. I can’t control it._

 _Yes you can. I can help you,_ Kylo responded, pressing a bit more. _You just need to let me. Let me in, Techie._

 _I’m scared,_ Techie admitted, fear hurling through him like a storm.

 _Don’t be afraid. I feel it, too._ Kylo grunted as another wave of fear and pain blasted at him from all sides. He never thought he’d see the day when his own pain was overshadowed by someone else’s. That his own inner struggle would pale in comparison to someone else’s torture. Techie might not have had the same experiences he’d had in his life, but he had been torn apart and spat back out enough times to make Kylo wince in sympathy.

Not one to ever give in to fear, however, Kylo went on, determination causing his body to tremble. _You have no reason to trust me, but I still have to ask you to. I can’t help you if you don’t let me in. Show me the worst. Let me see it. And I promise when you are ready, I’ll help you learn to control yourself so it doesn’t consume you._

 _Teach me?_ Techie’s voice trembled. _Will you teach me to keep the voices away?_

 _Yes,_ Kylo let out a soft huff, _I’ll teach you that and more, if that is what you want._

Techie let out a loud sobbing cry and would have collapsed all the way down onto the cold floor in a shaking heap if it wasn’t for the fact that Kylo’s hands were now cupping his face, keeping him from doing so. And then, something deep inside his mind gave in. Instead of the searing pain he’d been afraid of feeling, Techie only felt a sense of relief. It felt so intimate, having Kylo’s mind right in the midst of the inner most part of his mind. 

Despite literally not being able to do anything, Techie managed to let out a strangled moan that sounded borderline erotic.

Hux felt the tension in the room grow at that sound and he even found himself wondering what other kinds of sounds Techie could make when he was feeling pleasure. Or better yet, what both Kylo and Techie would sound like in the throes of passion. In spite of the strange and horrifying situation, Hux felt himself harden at those traitorous thoughts. Mentally chastising himself for even thinking about these things in such an inappropriate time, the ginger forced himself to look at the two others objectively.

Or at least he tried to.

Kylo shivered and let out a gasp as he saw and felt everything that had happened to Techie.

The memories swirled in a vibrant pulse of pain around him, trying to damage him with the rawness of it all. He bit his lip and let out a low hiss as he searched for the right memory. When he found it, it stopped him cold in his tracks. 

After cringing through it, forcing himself to view every detail, Kylo let out a ragged growl of rage.

The Force sensitive gently pulled away from Techie’s thoughts, feeling a sudden tug in the Force preventing him from leaving entirely. Before he could think on its significance, Techie shocked him. Kylo out a surprised oof as the other male suddenly launched himself into his arms. Hux had to hide back a slow smirk at noticing Kylo in the awkward predicament of having a grown man practically hugging him like a lifeline. Still, he sobered when he spotted that Kylo was angry. No, Kylo wasn’t angry. He was pissed. And though Hux felt that the whole gold swirling around Kylo’s brown pupils was one of the hottest things he’d ever seen, he knew that now wasn’t the time or the place for it.

“Ren, calm down, you are scaring him,” Hux said softly, noting that Techie had started making pathetic heart wrenching whimpers as he sobbed dryly against Kylo’s chest, his body practically shaking from the release of inner torment.

Kylo snapped his attention to Hux and for one long moment, both stared eachother down before the Force sensitive dropped his gaze to the shivering traumatized human in his arms. Kylo let go of most of his anger in a loud sigh, his hands going up to awkwardly rub Techie’s back in an attempt to soothe the young man. Techie’s sobs went on for a while, and Kylo continued to rub his back, his motions growing less awkward at each passing minute. Finally he murmured to Hux, “Later.”

Hux huffed but nodded, understanding what Kylo was referring to. He was a patient man usually, so in this he could afford to wait a little longer to talk to Kylo about what had happened.

Techie’s sobs soon grew quiet after that, and though the male still had quite a death grip on Kylo’s tunic, the Force sensitive could tell that he’d fallen asleep. Licking his lips slightly, he looked over at Hux, who was reaching out to brush some stray hairs away from Techie’s face. 

“Can you move him without waking him?” Hux asked softly, his normally cold gaze looking slightly softened for a change.

Kylo swallowed audibly, noting that despite having a huge gory scene behind him, Hux seemed to be taking things rather well. How else would he have just casually plonked his ass down next to him to watch Kylo finish looking into Techie’s mind? The General never ceased to amaze him, though he’d never tell the ginger that, of course. Blinking his attention back to the other ginger now nestled in his arms, Kylo sighed and nodded. 

The General stood and opened the door, taking a quick look around to make sure the coast was clear.

There were too many questions, and many that couldn’t be answered right now. For once, Kylo was content to wait until the following day if need be for that mess. Carefully, he stood, adjusting Techie as he went, finally settling on carrying the traumatized ginger with his legs over one arm, and the rest of him propped up against Kylo’s chest. 

As the two passed into the hall, the General once again reached over to run his fingers lightly over Techie’s hair. The young man was in desperate need of a shower and some medicine for his eyelids, but otherwise, he looked rather adorable now that Hux thought about it.

Withdrawing his hand, Hux nodded at Kylo and murmured before he could truly think about it, “Take him to my rooms. It’ll probably be less frightening if he wakes up there and not in the med bay. I’ll call in to have this lovely human bomb debris package cleaned up, and then I will meet you there. We have much to discuss, you and I.”

Kylo arched a brow, but did as the General suggested. Perhaps it wasn’t just Kylo that Techie had intrigued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****Please be advised that this chapter does have some non-consensual mind touching but Kylo is as gentle as possible to help Techie out - not to hurt him, so if that bothers you, you might want to skip the scene that begins with "Kylo was now trying to gently tug Techie’s thoughts to what had happened." and ends with "The Force sensitive gently pulled away from Techie’s thoughts."
> 
> For those of you who have to skip that part, here is a small rundown of plot for you. During the time Kylo is in Techie's mind, he finds out through the poor guy's rough past that the man is Force sensitive and offers to teach him. Hux keeps watch over them both mainly to stave off curiosity but also to ensure that no one else comes by and sees what's going on. 
> 
> *Lyrics to Hole in my Heart by Black Lab:
> 
> So I've been watching you  
> I’ve been watching you  
> There's nothing that I'm missing now except you  
> And I'm missing you  
> And I can take your mind  
> The hole in my heart  
> The hole in my heart is you  
> The hole in my heart is you  
> All these words they go so far alone  
> All these words they go so far alone  
> Let go  
> Let it go  
> I want to take everything that lies between us  
> I want to strip it down to the bone  
> I want to put my hands around you from behind you  
> I want to push until you cough up a lung  
> Do you understand?  
> The hole in my heart  
> The hole in my heart is you  
> The hole in my heart is you  
> All these words they go so far alone  
> All these words they go so far alone (Let it go, let it go, let it go, let it go)  
> Oh, come on  
> I want to put you down on a mattress press your face up against the wall  
> I want to let you ravish me like a demon like heaven before the fall  
> Break me  
> Yea, you're the hole in my heart  
> I want to make you understand me (All these words they go so far alone)  
> I want to wrap your skin around me (All these words they go so far alone)  
> Come on, come on  
> Let go of your heart (All these words they go so far alone)  
> Let go, let it go, let go of your heart (All these words they go so far alone)  
> Let go, let go, let go of your heart (All these words they go so far alone)  
> Let go, let go, let go  
> All these words they go so far alone


	2. Hux's Quarters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t expect you to understand, Ren,” Hux sighed in exasperation before he shrugged. “Regardless, it’s my decision to make.”
> 
> “What if you didn’t have to?” Kylo asked, causing Hux to snap his gaze up to meet his.
> 
> “Ok, now I don’t think you are suicidal, I _know_ you are,” Hux mused, feeling a cold pit of hunger fill his veins.
> 
> “Hear me out,” Kylo said, finally effectively snatching the band out of Hux’s hand, making the other male all but growl at him.  
> The act caused a wanted thrill to race through the knight’s veins and he said carefully, hoping against hope he didn’t sound cliché and stupid, “What if I could help you with your bloodlust? Help you turn your weaknesses to advantages? The First Order wouldn’t have to know – you’ve already been tested and won’t need to be in the future. Even the Supreme Leader wouldn’t have to know. It would just be between us. It would be mutually beneficial.”
> 
> “I am listening, but only because I think I am going into shock,” Hux said with a smirk, “that Lord Kylo Ren, Force sensitive, thinks he can teach me how to be a _dhampyre_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Thank you everyone who has been liking and commenting (or just reading it) on my new fic! It makes me feel really, really motivated to keep on writing. This work is getting to be pretty big and is still growing, so I am excited that everyone seems to be enjoying it or at least are interested in it. I was originally going to post this chapter tomorrow, but my inner muses were hollering at me and keeping me up at night (no seriously, they are total pitchfork muses) so I just HAD to post it a day early. Just as an FYI, this fic is explicit for a reason (actually several reasons but one big one is due to hardcore sexcapades between the boys), so if you don't like Kylux or Kylux-Techie or Kyluxie sex, you shouldn't really be reading this. Now that 'ye have been wurned', enjoy the ride. I don't think there is any triggers in this one except for non descriptive abuse references to both Hux and Techie's past, and Hux implying self poison use. But if any of you find something that is trigger worthy, let me know and I will put it up here. Thanks and have fun!

###  **Chapter 2: Hux's Quarters**

Luckily, most people knew the sound of Kylo’s boots making their way down hallways and corridors, so there were hardly any crewmembers that he passed as he headed towards the General’s quarters. The thin technician was incredibly light despite his tall frame. Kylo was already thinking of what kind of diet the ginger would need to be on to put some meat on his bones in order to start training.

Though Kylo knew that the decision was ultimately up to Techie whether or not he wanted to be an Apprentice, he still knew what the man would probably choose. Perhaps it was because the knight had seen some of himself in Techie – the struggle with being torn apart for example, though obviously it had been due to different reasons. Or maybe it was because if Techie trained and overcame his fears, then he’d be an eventual formidable ally to Kylo. Either way it went, Kylo now felt strangely responsible for the thin technician.

There was also the fact that Techie had killed for Kylo and Hux, regardless if the act was in self-defense and unintentional. It didn’t matter if Techie seemed to think Kylo and Hux were intensely erotic together (and yes, he had seen that particular fetish inside the other male’s mind unintentionally), or the fact that Techie found that they were quiet mentally.

If there was one thing that Kylo knew both he and Hux shared feelings-wise, was the mutual respect for that kind of loyalty. Pure and simple.

Leader Snoke would need to be notified soon, though Kylo had no doubt that his dark Master would have no qualms with allowing his elite Apprentice have one of his own. Techie might seem to be a weak minded individual but Snoke was not a fool. If Kylo broached the subject correctly, then he was sure that his Master would understand the technician’s potential value. 

Even if Leader Snoke didn’t see the value in Techie, Kylo would still train the other man, with or without the Supreme Leader’s blessing.

Using the Force to open Hux’s door, setting the lights at 20 percent, he quickly and carefully placed Techie on a long, pristine but comfortable looking black leather couch. He gently massaged the man’s fingers so that they would loosen their iron grip on his tunic. Kylo was rewarded after a moment when he was able to release himself, letting out a soft huff when the technician made a small displeased noise. Techie curled in on himself but otherwise stayed asleep. 

Kylo looked over the traumatized male and snorted quietly. The way Techie was laying looked awkward and the Force user knew all too well what it felt like to wake up after sleeping in strange and contorted positions. Grabbing a black cushion from a nearby chair, Kylo propped Techie up a bit so he could rest his head on it at least. He then took out a small bacta and gauze kit clipped to his belt for emergencies and started dabbing the technician’s face with a small antibacterial cleanser. Once he carefully wiped away the blood from underneath Techie’s nose, the other man woke up then (or half woke up) but Kylo reached out and soothed him, running fingers through his hair. 

“Sleep, Techie. We’ll talk in the morning.” Kylo tried telling himself that he was only taking care of Techie because he would soon most likely become his Apprentice. But, the real reason was smacking him right in the face. Pushing those conflicted feelings away, Kylo waited until Techie’s eyelids fell sleepily before he started applying some bacta to the swollen lids. Techie seemed to know what it was for, so he didn’t fight Kylo, not that he was in any position to do so.

Kylo looked around and found a folded black blanket in a basket underneath a plain black end table. He shook it out, noting with a smirk that orange cat hair practically littered the entire surface. Thankfully Techie wasn’t allergic to cats. Or at least, Kylo hadn’t seen anything to suggest otherwise in Techie’s mind earlier.

“I can’t sleep. There are always too many nightmares….” Techie mumbled and blinked owlishly through the bacta goop up at Kylo. Despite his protest, he really was exhausted and his eyelids weren’t cooperating well, even before the application of bacta. He hated sleeping though. There wasn’t hardly a night that went by that didn’t have nightmares. 

The Force user felt like rolling his eyes in exasperation, though he really knew it wasn’t Techie’s fault he had night terrors. So, instead, Kylo helped adjust Techie’s legs a bit so he could cover the other man with the blanket. He was careful not to tuck him in too much, knowing those red puffy eyelids didn’t need any more irritation. Awkwardly patting the blanket down against the technician’s prone form, he finally said, “You are safe here. You won’t have nightmares tonight.”

Whether or not Techie believed him was irrelevant. Techie yawned sleepily as the knight ended up tugging off the other male’s boots, putting them neatly to the side of the couch. Arching a brow at the mustard yellow socks adorning Techie’s feet, the Force sensitive helped tug the blanket over them. Kylo finally huffed out a small sigh and reached out to run his fingers over the pale man’s cheek, Techie mumbling a slurred and soft ‘thank you’ before closing his eyes again. 

Kylo sat there for a long moment, running his fingers over that soft skin, careful not to get too close to the bacta gracing Techie’s eyelids. It was an intense feeling, being around someone at their most vulnerable and knowing that he was responsible for them. Not being able to help himself, Kylo touched the pouty lower lip of his potential Apprentice, running his finger gently over its chapped surface. Techie was almost asleep now, but Kylo didn’t want to move away just yet. 

With a deep sigh flowing through his lips in a whoosh, Kylo finally pulled away, using the Force to push Techie’s tired mind to rest peacefully. The act caused a bit of strain on Kylo’s already exhausted mind, but it was necessary. If anyone could use a good night’s sleep nightmare free on this ship it was Techie.

Now that Techie was settled, Kylo took a closer look around the room, never having been inside Hux’s quarters before. There was the main room that they were in, which was sparsely but fashionably decorated. A few tasteful black and white framed posters of star systems accented the main wall above the couch, and on the other side of the room had a huge array of transparisteel windows showing the vast expanse of space and the slight horizon of Jakku below them. 

There was a closet on the left side of the door that Kylo had walked in, and on the right side there was a tall wooden bookcase filled to the brim with books. Everything looked incredibly orderly though. Not that it really surprised Kylo, considering Hux had a bit of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Hux liked everything neat and tidy. 

Which made it ironic considering the man was a legitimate vampire – unless there was some other humanoid creature that could fool the First Order’s blood tests so well. Hux must have been taking something to prevent the bloodlust amongst other characteristics. Hell, the only reason why Kylo had discerned Hux as being a vampire during the incident on the bridge a few days before was due to the fact that he’d dealt with a few rather unsavory ones in one of his prior missions. 

Kylo briefly wondered what Hux would look like, after he had fed; if his hair would be tussled, or if blood would trickle down his lips to drip all over his pristine uniform. Pulling his thoughts away from that dangerous route, Kylo continued to take note of the rest of the General’s rooms. The General might return at any moment, so Kylo wasn’t going to let a chance to snoop on Hux’s personal life get away from him.

One door beside the bookcase led to an office – or more like a study with the wall to wall black bookcases brimming with books surrounding a glass topped desk and comfortable looking chair. As Kylo continued to quickly peruse the General’s office, he noted that several of the thick tomes in Hux’s possession were of military strategy and battle tactics. There were also science fiction and fantasy novels which caused the knight’s eyebrows to shoot up to his hairline.

Who would have thought that Hux had a soft spot for science fiction, much less fantasy? For someone who was eager to tell others that he didn’t have much faith in the Force, Hux sure had enough books on the subject to make one wonder what he really thought about it. 

Narrowing his eyes thoughtfully as he made his way back into the larger main room, he viewed on the other side of the room, opposite of the entrance door, there were three other doors. One led to another closet, another led to the bedroom, and the last led to a moderately sized refresher. Hux’s bed was impeccably made, though he noted with a small smile that there was a slightly overweight orange tabby practically taking up the middle of the bed. The cat had noticed his entrance and she stood up and stretched. 

Kylo liked cats, though he hadn’t known Hux had one. After offering his hand to the queen to sniff, he smirked as the cat purred and rubbed her head over said hand. He gave the cat a few scratches as he surveyed Hux’s bedroom curiously. 

The bed was of a nice size; big enough to fit three people comfortably and it was long enough to fit Hux’s height. Kylo had a bed about that size though everything he had was mostly black. Hux’s regulation comforter was of light grey though the sheets were black. One small nightstand was in between the bed and a wall, and on the other side of the bed was a large walk in closet. In front of the bed there was a large transparisteel window. Above the room there was a skylight with an optional draw shield to provide more darkness. On the wall above the bed was a large framed piece of art.

It was of a galaxy, though the splash of reds, purples, and blues were incredible. 

Kylo gave the cat a final rub on the head before he pulled himself away from the bedroom. The refresher was standard, though Kylo’s curiosity got the better of him as he viewed some of the bath products Hux used. Being careful not to touch anything, the Force user noted the small cleaning efficient litter box tucked away in an alcove near the bathtub, and spotted that there were normal regulation grey towels folded neatly in a small linen cubby near the sink. 

Kylo wasn’t surprised to see an efficient shaving kit alongside some hair product on one side of the sink and on the other was a tooth brush, bottle of toothpaste and a soap dispenser. 

Everything was spotless except for a small trail of litter running from the litter box to the main room. 

Ironically, he’d just found out more about Hux in viewing his rooms the last few minutes than he had in the past three years working with him side by side. 

With a soft amused huff, Kylo came back into the main room and decided to make use of the time in waiting for Hux to return. He moved over and plonked his ass down gracefully on the floor near the couch, propping his back up against it. 

After a brief check to make sure the technician was still sleeping soundly, Kylo took a few deep breaths and started meditating.

\-----------------------------------------------------

When Hux got back to his quarters a few hours later, he wanted nothing more than to take his suppressant, enjoy a hot shower, and try to get some rest. However, the scene he walked in on made him think otherwise. With a soft sigh, Hux stood in his doorway for one long resigned moment, noting that nothing in his life ever came easy.

Kylo was meditating from the looks of it. The knight was sitting cross legged next to Hux’s long couch, back propped up against one of the sides, hands placed upon his knees. His eyes were closed and his body was ironically both rigid and relaxed. Hux mentally snorted at the sight of Millicent curled up in total galaxy formation in the middle of his lap.

 _Traitor_ , Hux thought fondly before he looked towards the sleeping technician curled up on the couch.

Techie was engulfed in one of Millicent’s blankets, his face burrowed into a throw pillow. Hux noted that his face at least had been cleaned up, no doubt by Kylo. Perhaps it was not intentional on Kylo’s part that he had placed Techie in a way that the traumatized technician could have a full view of the entrance to Hux’s quarters, but it was still fortuitous regardless. 

The knight continually amazed him, it seemed.

Still, it made Hux wonder at the common courtesy. Being a former abuse case himself, the General understood all too well the need to have an exit always present in view while at rest. Kriff, the only way the General could get any sleep – when he was able to, was to lie on his back facing his own doorway to his bedroom with a blaster underneath a pillow and a military knife under his mattress. When he was in unfamiliar territory, Hux had to rest somewhere up high so he could have a quick advantage point. Part of that was military instilled training, but for the most part it was due to always having to be on his guard.

Though Hux knew very little about Techie, besides the clues as to what had happened tonight, he had been able to view his file to peruse while waiting for the clean-up crew to settle everything in the Security Surveillance room. There hadn’t been much about Techie. His name was Bill “Techie” Huxley, and digging further, Hux had found that the name was in fact an alias. The fabricated backstory of Techie’s was very well thought out, but was too bare. The First Order’s database system had been doctored six months past it seems, and Hux didn’t need to wonder who had done the hacking. 

After finding that out, Hux had dug deeper into the various First Order research networks and had found that Techie really had been a freed slave known as MALETECH1 from Mega City 1 on Earth, a far outer rim planet. Those slave brands made all too much sense to Hux now. Apparently the man had been called “Techie” for short as a slave and he had stuck with the nickname despite his freeing and subsequence attempt at starting a new life. He was a genius when it came to computers and any kind of software system. Techie was good at his job, his performance was highly proficient, and other than being an oddball loner with bionic eyes, nothing else was noted on his official true record.

Hux couldn’t imagine what Techie’s life must have been like before he came here, but he knew well enough to recognize the signs of severe trauma and abuse. Though their circumstances were very different, Hux felt he could relate in a small way to the other ginger. Maybe Hux had felt understanding on an instinctual level towards the other man, and perhaps that’s why he had suggested Kylo bring him here. 

Still, he had to admire someone who had such a strong sense of self-preservation. And he was, without a doubt, impressed at the other ginger’s tenacity and persistence in getting away from the hellhole he’d been subject to for countless of years.

When Hux noted that said ginger was still sleeping soundly, he advanced into the room, the door hissing shut with a small snick. Walking over to place Kylo’s forgotten helmet on the end table near the door, he made sure not to make any noise. 

Afterwards, he opened the closet and hung up his overcoat, brushing out the wrinkles. 

It should have been irritating, having to keep common courtesy in mind inside of his own private quarters, but Hux really was too tired to care. He gave his cat another fond look before he headed into his office, leaving the door open just in case Kylo eventually followed him inside. 

He had been right, earlier, when he’d told Kylo that they needed to have a talk.

Of course, it might be good to take care of his symptoms first. He wandered over to his desk, pulling out some antibacterial swabs and a thick leather band. Tugging out his syringe from his button down shirt breast inside pocket, he felt mixed emotions. Now that it was time to put an end to his hunger for another year, Hux truly wondered if it was necessary this time. Were the weaknesses that bad to have? Licking his lips, Hux let out a soft sigh, his fangs coming out to play.

If he didn’t take the suppressant soon, he wouldn’t be able to withdraw his fangs until he fed. 

Soon, his eyes would become crimson. His strength and speed would increase dramatically, and his agile nature would become that of a predator. The two humans in his outer room would become prey, and he’d not be able to resist the bloodlust anymore. Hux began to truly wonder if holding back was such a good thing. 

The rational part of Hux knew that if he didn’t take his suppressant, that he might turn into a rabid monster. It had happened before with his kind. There were two types of _dhampyres_. The ones that were able to control their bloodlust, who took up a few willing living food sources, and lived as humanely as possible. The other, baser type that couldn’t control their bloodlust, became slaves to their own desire for carnage and death. Did he truly want to see if he was the first type or the second?

Raising his gaze, Hux watched Kylo almost silently move into the office, closing the door shut behind him. 

“Stay there for a moment so I can administer my lovely poison,” Hux said softly, finding that Kylo’s scent had turned thicker, more spicy. And if he wasn’t mistaken, there was a healthy bit of lust wafting up from the dark knight’s body. It made Hux lick his lips, tongue raking over his lengthened canines. “Then we can talk.”

Kylo propped himself up against the door, languidly crossing his arms over his chest as he waited. The man looked like a coiled panther ready to strike, though if Hux thought about it long enough, he knew full well that a _dhampyre_ could easily take down a panther. They might get torn up on both sides in a fight, but the _dhampyre_ was almost always the victor.

Unless the panther managed to rip his head off in the process.

Unbuttoning his sleeve and rolling it up above his left forearm, Hux put the syringe on the desk so he could start massaging his skin. His skin was nearly ashen in color, and if the full on curse took hold, then he’d have to feed at least twice a week to make his skin have more peach tones in it - to have healthy human skin. 

When Kylo said nothing, Hux raised his gaze up to the knight’s, noting that the other male was still watching him with a keen interest. The smell of arousal was still thick in the air, and it was doing all sorts of things to the predator side of him. “You haven’t asked me what I am,” he mused, curious as to see what the other would say.

“I thought you said you wanted to administer your poison before we talked,” Kylo pointed out in amusement. When Hux rolled his eyes at him, he huffed softly. Finally he shrugged, “I have a good guess.”

“Mmmm, enlighten me, oh so omnipotent one,” Hux cooed in mock subservience, causing Kylo to smirk. 

As Hux ran a few claws down his skin, drawing a few thick veins up to the surface of his forearm, Kylo admitted, “If you are what I think you are, then I have dealt with your kin before, vampire.”

“It’s not fair if you’ve already dealt with vampires before. Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised. As it is, I am only a _dhampyre_ ; my mother was a full blooded vampire, but my father was human,” Hux lisped as his fangs slid down completely. Damn, he was running out of time. As he struggled to wrap the leather band around his arm, his head snapped up, incredulously watching as Kylo started to move stealthily towards him.

“Are you mad?” Hux asked, his voice coming out more in a sensuous whisper. 

“Just seeing if you needed any help,” Kylo full on smiled, coming over to stand inside Hux’s space.

Prick.

Though, he did have an adorably sexy way of smiling.

“No, you aren’t mad. You must be completely and utterly suicidal,” Hux said, his eyes flooding into red. “And I don’t need help. I’ve done this every year for the biggest portion of my life.”

“What exactly does it do?” Kylo asked, curious in spite of himself. 

“What do you think it does? It’s poison. Meaning it is lethal to my kind if given in high concentrated doses.” Hux grunted, trying hard and failing not to breathe in Kylo’s scent too deeply.

“I know it’s poison, Hux. What I mean is,” Kylo started tugging the band away from Hux’s hand, “What side effects does it have? And why take it in the first place if you could have so much power – besides the fact that the First Order is against it?”

Hux clenched his fist over the band, not allowing the knight any leeway on snatching it from him. “I don’t know why I am even telling you this, but whatever. Side effects include but are not limited to: possible temporary paralysis, dulling of one’s sense of smell, taste and touch, strength diminishing, null and voiding bloodlust, and for the first few days after administering the poison, to be lethargic and prone to severe migraines.”

“Sounds painful, but you tend to like pain, so I guess it doesn’t matter,” Kylo murmured, still trying to tug the band out of Hux’s grip.

“Yes, yes, I am a known masochist, I know.” Hux rolled his eyes before he asked, “As for why I take it, why should you care?”

“I don’t care.” Kylo arched a lone eyebrow before stating dryly, “I am just curious.”

“Mmmm, well then,” Hux licked his lips and admitted, “Being a _dhampyre_ has benefits to be sure, but the severe weaknesses overshadow those benefits. I don’t fancy dealing with those annoying worries. As a human, though weakened as I am, I can focus on a balance between it all. As a _dhampyre_ , there are too many uncertain variables in which I could let my weaknesses control my life. And you know as well as I do, that unbalanced weaknesses are liabilities that one cannot have in our line of work.”

“I see your reasoning to a point,” Kylo admitted, but then said, “Weaknesses can be debilitating if they are left unmanaged. But, if honed carefully, weaknesses could turn into strengths….advantages. You say as a human you balance the two effectively, why not do the same as a _dhampyre_?”

“I don’t expect you to understand, Ren,” Hux sighed in exasperation before he shrugged. “Regardless, it’s my decision to make.”

“What if you didn’t have to?” Kylo asked, causing Hux to snap his gaze up to meet his.

“Ok, now I don’t think you are suicidal, I _know_ you are,” Hux mused, feeling a cold pit of hunger fill his veins.

“Hear me out,” Kylo said, finally effectively snatching the band out of Hux’s hand, making the other male all but growl at him. 

The act caused a wanted thrill to race through the knight’s veins and he said carefully, hoping against hope he didn’t sound cliché and stupid, “What if I could help you with your bloodlust? Help you turn your weaknesses to advantages? The First Order wouldn’t have to know – you’ve already been tested and won’t need to be in the future. Even the Supreme Leader wouldn’t have to know. It would just be between us. It would be mutually beneficial.”

“I am listening, but only because I think I am going into shock,” Hux said with a smirk, “that Lord Kylo Ren, Force sensitive, thinks he can teach me how to be a _dhampyre_.”

Kylo rolled his eyes but continued, “That’s not what I meant and you know it. I was being completely serious.” He leaned in a bit, still keeping the band away from Hux, “I might be taking on Techie as a new Apprentice if he wishes, but I will still be able to help you.”

“How considerate of you to think that you can help me. I do commend you on taking up the mantle with Techie,” Hux commented, trying to change the subject. “So, he is a late bloomer Force sensitive?”

“Yes he is, but it is up to him whether or not he wants to be under my tutelage,” Kylo allowed before he finally crowded Hux’s personal space and whispered, “Just think about it. It would be beneficial for us both. You get to finally be yourself, and be incredibly powerful. The bloodlust would be taken care of, and if you let me help you, then you’d be able to crush your foes without having to worry about your weaknesses, dependencies or otherwise.”

“Mmmm, but that’s why I design and build star destroyers and Starkiller bases to do the dirty work for me,” Hux quipped back with a smirk, but then he continued softly, “You said it was beneficial for the both of us. Hypothetically, if I did allow you to assist me, what is in it for you?”

“I get you as an ally. That’s enough for me,” Kylo admitted, his eyes turning dark with arousal.

Apparently ‘ally’ meant something else entirely to Kylo. But, maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. As Hux looked over Kylo’s features, he figured that there were worse things to deal with.

Kylo’s blood smelled incredible, especially up this close. Distractedly, Hux looked at Kylo’s throat, of which had no cowl or collar protection to speak of. And the outer robes were also missing. How Hux hadn’t noticed that before really showed just how far gone he was.

The fool had removed them before entering the room. Kylo’s neck was bare. Even the tunic had been unbuttoned further down on his sternum. The bastard had planned on this, on the off chance that Hux might give in. For how long the infuriating man had plotted this, Hux didn’t know. Licking his lips, Hux tried to find every reason he could to keep in control and to deny that the idea really did sound good. “I could very well kill you. It’s been years since I’ve fed, and the last time I did I drained that person dry.”

“Was the last person a Force sensitive?” Kylo asked, not put off in the least.

Kylo had to admit, _dhampyre_ Hux was incredibly gorgeous. The normal human one was beautiful, too, but this baser form of Hux was incredibly erotic. He knew he probably was giving off all kinds of aroused scents and feelings that the _dhampyre_ could pick up on easily, but he didn’t care. 

Kylo was a glutton for punishment it seemed.

“What does that have anything to do with it?” Hux asked, arching his eyebrows incredulously. “The fact is that I killed someone. I could kill you, and then Leader Snoke would have me burned alive.”

“No, that’s not his style. More along the lines of mentally crushing your brains first before he actually burned you to a crisp with Force lightning, and then end it all by using your charred bones as tile material for his throne room,” Kylo reasoned, leaning in a bit to breathe in Hux’s snowy scent. It was more potent than ever now, and it was driving him crazy.

Hux let out a low purring growl as he noted what Kylo was doing. Just hearing the larger male inhale his scent was fraying the last of his control. The leather band fell to the ground silently, and Hux had his clawed hands on Kylo’s shoulders, the other man’s hands coming to rest teasingly on his hips. With a small shudder, Hux nuzzled Kylo’s cheek before he pulled away just enough to look into the man’s darkened gaze.

Golden swirls filtered into the Force user’s eyes and Hux breathed, “Charming. However, that’s not the point.” He blinked as he leaned in closer, his nose almost touching Kylo’s. Slowly licking his lips, Hux took in another breath of his spicy scent, which was a mixture of almost overpowering lust with hot pulsing blood. It was intoxicating, and suddenly, there wasn’t anything more that he wanted than this man’s taste. Consequences be damned, for all he cared.

“What is the point?” Kylo breathed, suddenly very serious. 

He knew he shouldn’t be doing this. Granted, Techie in the room next to them was sound asleep, but still, he could wake up on his own at any time if he heard anything remotely alarming. Regardless, Kylo had never felt so aroused, so fucking needy in his life. And the way Hux was looking at him now, as if he was the most desirable thing in the universe had him so incredibly hard.

If something didn’t give soon, Kylo would die from a serious case of blue balls.

“The point is, I don’t want to die, you _asshat_ ,” the insult came out as a soft and husky sound. 

“You won’t. And I won’t,” Kylo replied, tugging the other man up against him, his hands gripping deliciously at Hux’s hips.

Then Kylo fucking _teased_ him.

The Force user reached up and ran his fingers over Hux’s cheek before he leaned in for a ghost of a kiss, rolling his hips as he did so. The act made Hux gasp, his cock filling completely and aching at the friction. Kylo seductively cupped Hux’s throat, murmuring sensuously against Hux’s lips, “Let the past die, kill it if you have to. It’s the only way you’ll become what you’re meant to be. Let me help you. I’ll make sure you don’t go too far. I am stronger than you think.”

[](https://imgur.com/vTI9UVA?1)

Hux let out a desperate keening growl, figuring resisting anymore would be physically impossible. And for one long second there was a spike in the tension between the two of them before Hux met Kylo’s mouth with a heated and aching moan, his acceptance flowing through him in relief. Biting nips, tongues tangling, teeth meeting hard, it all was furious and consuming. The kisses were sloppy at best, but it was one of the hottest experiences Hux had ever felt in his life. Though Kylo seemed to know how to kiss pretty well, Hux could tell that he wasn’t that experienced. 

Something about that fact made the kisses even more erotic. Kylo’s tongue licked into his mouth and Hux let out a possessive rumble when he tasted the Force sensitive’s blood for the first time. His fangs must have pricked Kylo’s tongue. Suddenly pushing Kylo up against a bookcase hard enough for the wood to creak, the General gave in to hungry devouring kisses. The more they kissed, the more passionate they became. 

Kylo was in total heaven, drinking in Hux’s hitched moans and dirty growls with ones of his own, his body on fire so incredibly intoxicating that it made the Force user dizzy. Not being able to stop his hips from arching up to rub against Hux’s, he let out a ragged gasp when Hux skillfully arched just right, their cocks meeting for the first time beneath their layers of clothing. 

Finally Hux pulled away, his hips slowing to a stop, his eyes full blown and dangerous. “You sure you want this? There’s no going back after this. And we need to tell Techie soon, even if Techie doesn’t want a part in this.”

When Kylo arched a dazed brow in confusion, Hux narrowed his eyes, saying with exasperation, “You want to make him your Apprentice, yes?” 

When the knight huffed out a deep sigh, Hux went on, taking it as an affirmative, “Then he’ll need to at least know about this. And he needs to have a choice if eventually you want him to be a part of this as much as I do. I don’t know why I feel compelled to be near him and I don’t know his full story, but I want to protect him. Regardless, I won’t force anyone to be subjected to dealing with my affliction.”

Kylo had to laugh at that last part, which made Hux really want to hit him. “Kriffing hell, Hux. Since when did you have _conscience_?” 

Hux did hit him then, hard enough to bruise on the shoulder. “Excuse you. My conscience is dead and buried, right next to my black covered soul. I just feel for him. I looked at his file while the clean-up crew was clearing out the Security Surveillance room. He may have created his new backstory in order to get a job on the Finalizer – which is commendable, considering that he used to be a slave. Regardless, from the way he acts, it’s easy to assume without picking his brain that he’s been abused cruelly. So, I want him to have a choice in everything if possible. If we treat him right, then he’ll flourish and turn into a valuable asset to the First Order.”

“Agreed, though I already figure what his response will be. He thinks the both of us are incredibly arousing,” Kylo breathed into Hux’s ear as he murmured those words. “You can’t imagine what I saw in his mind tonight. It wasn’t just all pain and suffering.”

Kylo paused to nibble on one of Hux’s sensitive ear lobes. After tugging it slightly and was rewarded by Hux letting out an erotic moan of pleasure, Kylo whispered huskily, “There are so many things he wants _us_ to **do** to him….”

“You pervert,” Hux chided, though the admission that Techie thought them both as being arousing had his blood pumping more. Finally he nuzzled Kylo’s cheek and whispered back, “That may well be the case, but Techie has to tell us he wants it when he’s ready, if he ever is. We can’t push him to it.”

“I already said I agreed. Though, does he need to have a choice on where your put your fangs tonight? Because I hate to tell you but I made sure he will sleep peacefully unless it gets loud in here,” Kylo murmured bluntly. “And in response to the whole ‘no going back thing’, I know what I am getting into. I can handle it.”

Hux didn’t answer him for a long minute before he started nuzzling Kylo’s palm at his cheek. Finally he reached up and ran his fingers through the Force user’s wild mane, whispering, “No, Techie can sleep tonight, uninterrupted if possible. If anyone deserves a peaceful night’s sleep, it is Techie. As for you handling it, I hope you live long enough to regret it.”

“Excellent,” Kylo breathed before he tugged Hux to him for a searing kiss.

All that built up tension, years of hate, and perhaps years of attraction all bundled up into one pile of intensity drove both males into a frenzy. Hux’s claws went from tugging on Kylo’s hair to raking down the Force sensitive’s back, making shredded slits in the ribbed material of his tunic. Kylo didn’t seem to mind as he alternated from running his hands down Hux’s lower back to cup his ass to pull him closer and tracing his fingers through the soft sensitive hairs at the nape of the General’s neck. 

It was madness, torturous desire, but neither man could stop nor did they want to. Kylo drew Hux’s tongue into his mouth and moaned, feeling absolutely wrecked at the taste of him. Hux dominated for a while, and Kylo went along for the ride, though eventually he took back the reins. 

And when Kylo’s hands moved to Hux’s hair, he practically moaned at the feel of its softness. There was a bit of product in it to keep it in place but otherwise it was incredibly silky. He almost wondered if Techie’s hair would feel like that when it was washed and healthy. Kylo drew his mind away from Techie for one long moment as he suddenly had a thigh pressing up against his groin. The Force sensitive let out a hissing gasp, biting his lower lip at the feel. Not being able to help himself, he spread his legs to give Hux better access.

Hux kissed him a few more times, rubbing his thigh against Kylo’s rock hard arousal, before he buried his face into the other man’s neck. He let out a needy moan as he breathed in the saturated scent that was all Kylo. His blood was practically begging Hux to take it. Giving in to the need to taste that succulent sweat slicked skin of the knight’s throat, Hux started licking broad strokes against it. 

Kylo let out a ragged gasp, “Hux, I am not going to last….” He could feel the storm that was _dhampyre_ Hux swirl around him, and it was all he could do to just hold on to any shred of sanity. Hux was pulsing with raw hunger, need and icy hot fire.

Now that Kylo had seen and felt the emotions, he never wanted Hux to ever be put back on that suppressant. The intensity was on the verge of being frightening, but that made it all so fucking hot and arousing.

“I should hope not, because I am particularly ravenous right now, if you can’t tell,” Hux purred against Kylo’s skin, continuing to rub and rock against the other man’s covered cock. When he felt Kylo start to shake in an oncoming orgasm, Hux struck, his fangs sinking into the soft skin of the Force user’s throat, moaning at the sudden influx of blood in his mouth.

Delicious blood flowed down his throat, sating that unquenchable thirst and need. Hux let out a loud erotic mewl and couldn’t help himself as he clutched Kylo to him like a lifeline. The feeling was intoxicating, and though Hux knew in the back of his mind that he needed to be careful, all rational thought went out the window as Kylo came.

Kylo let out a guttural cry loud enough to wake the dead as he came harder than he’d ever had in his life. His vision even got little sparklies as he soared. Hux wasn’t stopping though, and vaguely Kylo wondered how the fuck he was still soaring when Hux bit in again, marking him this time. Kylo let out a shuddering gasp as he literally saw stars this time, the second orgasm ripping through him fast. With one last heated possessive growl, Hux sank in his fangs again, sealing whatever deal he made with whatever devil, making Kylo his.

Kylo threw back his head, mouth agape as he shuddered through another orgasm, his body nearly giving out at the oversensitivity that came with so many orgasms in quick succession. His cock twitched hard up against his stomach and his balls felt like a star system had just emptied from their depths. He was going to kriffing chafe tomorrow, but this was worth it. 

Hux was worth it.

Hux allowed his instincts take over and the healing agents in his tongue started staunching the now almost sluggish flow of Kylo’s blood. Feeling a bit victorious in the fact that he had managed not to kill the other man, and had also managed to get him off multiple times, Hux couldn’t help but smile. 

Coming down from his incredible high, Kylo noted that Hux had pulled away slightly. The General was watching him with the biggest grin he’d ever seen on the man. Despite being smug and fangy, that smile made Hux look even more attractive, if that were possible. There was a bit of blood on his lips, but nothing much. Curious, Kylo tugged Hux in for a kiss just to taste his own blood on those lips. Hux mewled in contentment.

It was then that he realized Hux hadn’t come yet. Hux let out a soft shuddering gasp as Kylo rolled his hips just enough to rub against the General’s clothed cock. Feeling his cum starting to stick and dry inside his pants, Kylo couldn’t find it in his mind to really care. 

Pulling away slightly, Kylo licked his lips and asked softly, “Can I touch you?”

“Mmm, I wouldn’t be opposed to that,” Hux admitted. “But, not now.” Before Kylo could argue, Hux murmured, “I think you might have awakened Techie. And regardless of what you say about him thinking we are hot together, I think he’s been through enough for one night.”

Kylo’s head snapped up, reaching out with the Force to find that Hux had been telling the truth. Techie was awake, but only just. The dark knight scowled thoughtfully but then gasped in shock. His eyes narrowed and he turned to look at Hux, murmuring, “He knows.”

[](https://imgur.com/qz789WT?1)

“Well of course he knows - you were deliciously loud. We both were,” Hux admitted, running a hand through his already messed up hair. Despite feeling like he was having a serious case of blue balls, he’d dealt with far worse. At least he’d been fed tonight, so the hunger was gone for the moment. 

“Not just that. He knows _everything_ ,” Kylo stated pointedly, reaching up to rub the bridge of his nose.

“ _Everything_?” Hux asked, for once feeling a bit awkward and astounded. “Even about my affliction? Our whole conversation?” At Kylo’s nod, Hux breathed. Kriff. “How?”

Kylo closed his eyes and breathed in deeply a few times as he searched through the small thread linking his thoughts to Techie. In all honestly the dark knight was impressed, if a bit disturbed. He’d heard of Force bonds being forged between a Master and their Apprentice before, but never had the pleasure or experience in having one. _Kriff_ , even the mental link he shared with his Master was not like this. This was totally different. Leader Snoke had said it was rare when asked about it during his training years ago. 

Plus, bonds like this were normally forged between a Master and Apprentice after years of being around eachother. They didn’t just happen out of the blue like this. Karking hell, he hadn’t even talked to Techie yet about being a possible Apprentice. But Techie knew his thoughts now.

Feeling a bit embarrassed about being distracted enough that he hadn’t figured out there was a Force bond when it actually forged in the Surveillance room - and therefore not blocking Techie from his thoughts earlier, Kylo tried to focus on the bond itself. Just how strong was it?

 _It’s ok, I don’t mind,_ Techie’s voice was sleepy but clear enough that Kylo could tell that the technician wasn’t lying. Then he said, his voice fogged but still slightly nervous, _Your thoughts don’t hurt me._

 _It doesn’t matter. You shouldn’t have been subject to them in the first place._ Kylo had the grace to sound sheepish.

 _It really is ok._ Techie flushed as he rolled onto his back. _The General had to eat…. Believe me, if he is as mentally and physically loud as you are falling off the deep end, then I am um - yea **definitely** not minding it._

Kylo snorted, relaxing a bit before he turned to view Hux with a sudden predatory look. _Would you like me to find out?_

Techie opened his eyes at that, bacta goop now dried and slightly flaky. He resisted the urge to rub his eyelids, though he did push some hair away from his face. His eyes whirred around as he looked at Hux’s quarters with interest. Licking his chapped lips fully, Techie tried to form an answer before the fog truly cleared from his head. Otherwise he’d lose his nerve.

Biting his lower lip and hoping against hoping that he wasn’t damning himself, he said aloud, “Yes.”

Covering his face with his hands, he ground his teeth as arousal and shame ran though him.

 _Don’t feel shame for how you feel, Techie._ Kylo admonished gently, before he concentrated on the task at hand.

Hux narrowed his eyes at Kylo, taking in his stance and wondering if the Force sensitive was going to pounce. “Ren, how did Techie know? And why are you looking at me as if I am some sort of decadent dessert table after you’ve been dealing with emergency rations for five months?”

“He knew because he has full access to my thoughts. Ever since I dipped into his mind earlier, he’s had access.” Kylo then advanced quickly, easily pushing the General up against, and then onto his desk, scattering data pads and pens everywhere. Without preamble, Kylo dropped to his knees and nuzzled Hux’s groin, spreading the General’s legs for more access. 

_“Ren!”_ Hux let out a gasp in surprise before it fell away to a moan. Kriff, how long had it been since he’d allowed himself this kind of pleasure? 

Years.

It had been years since he’d last taken a lover. The last time he’d let someone touch him like this was back at the Academy. 

It’d been way too long. Grabbing for any kind of purchase, the General reached behind himself to grip the table edges at the middle, keeping himself propped up. Hux threw his head back and let out another strangled moan as Kylo literally started licking his still erect cock through his pants. That sinfully hot mouth of Kylo’s nearly drove the dhampyre mad, causing his eyes to close in bliss and his mouth to gape in pleasure, fangs peeking out from between his lips.

When he’d said that Kylo could touch him, he’d been thinking of something else entirely, though it probably would have been just as intense as this. And the fact that Techie was hearing him, and being in Kylo’s mind, watching him possibly, it made it all the more erotic.

Kylo enjoyed Hux’s scent; the snowy musk was the most concentrated at the apex of his thighs. Strong hands ran over Hux’s legs as he continued to mouth and tease the General’s cock. Finally pulling away so he could unzip the other male’s pants, he breathed out, “And you aren’t just the dessert table, you are also the appetizer and main course.”

After unzipping Hux’s pants and releasing the General’s flushed cock nestled in a neatly trimmed thatch of red curls, Kylo palmed the pleasure organ a few times just to feel its soft velvet over steel. Hux bit his lip and looked down at the knight situated between his legs. Those palms, those fingers gracing his cock made him let out a few hitched breaths.

“And what about Techie?” Hux asked, gasping harshly when the Force sensitive started licking strips up and down his cock, “Not that I don’t enjoy this… _fuck_ … yes right… _there_.” Kylo had just ridged his tongue up against a very sensitive area of his length and it had the General nearly seeing stars.

Again Kylo pulled away, but only to position Hux’s cock carefully. Then he looked up and met the _dhampyre_ ’s gaze before he whispered, “He’s more than alright with this. In fact, he wants me to make you _scream_.”

And with that, Kylo put Hux’s cock into his mouth, getting as much as he could in without gagging. 

“ **Fuck!** ” Hux cursed loudly, reaching down with one clawed hand to grip the back of Kylo’s head while his other arm placed itself right behind his back as a brace, his claws raking scratches down the glass top of his desk.

Techie couldn’t help himself, he started letting out pants of air as he practically felt the waves of lust and need coming from Kylo. The backlash was so intense that it nearly had him cumming in his pants. With a muffled moan of his own, Techie slowly reached down beneath the blanket and cupped himself through the fabric of his uniform. As soon as he started hearing Hux’s moans and grunts of pleasure, he keened and viciously bit his lower lip. 

_Guess he is as loud as I am. Let’s see if I can get him to be even louder,_ Kylo mused huskily into Techie’s mind. When Techie let out a long mewl of need, Kylo added softly, _Touch yourself, Techie. There is no shame in feeling pleasure or pain. Give in to your desires._

When Techie reached into his pants to touch himself, he whimpered almost pitifully. He was so hard it was starting to hurt. But, he liked it. He liked it a lot. He’d never been so aroused in his life. Almost viciously pumping himself into his hand, he bit his free hand to keep from losing his sanity entirely.

Kylo did, in fact make Hux get louder.

Deciding he wanted to try deep throating, Kylo worked himself up to it carefully with a few gags before finally engulfing Hux’s cock down to the back of his throat. Hux let out a loud and desperately ragged cry that sent chills of pleasure down Kylo’s spine. Obscenities that even Kylo didn’t know in his seemingly infinite dirty vocabulary came spilling out of Hux’s mouth.

Hux felt like he was going to explode, but he didn’t want it over so soon. His senses were so heightened right now; he could practically feel Kylo and Techie’s minds ram into his skull like erotic anvils. He now could hear the muffled cries Techie was trying to cover in the next room, and those sounds combined with his own noises and the obscene slurps Kylo was making while sucking his cock was driving Hux over the edge. He came with a loud bellow that shook the table and the bookcases around them in its intensity. Kylo swallowed his essence the best he could, but some dribbled down his chin as he finally popped off after a few swallows. Hux let out a low moan, panting to try and catch his breath as he came down from his high. Now it was Kylo’s turn to look thoroughly pleased with himself. 

Techie let out a ragged moan as he nearly came several times. He was brutal with himself, trying to get off fast and hard. It didn’t matter if in the morning he’d be sore, or that his left hand would be bruised and slightly bloody from biting it. He needed this. And he was so fucking close.

In between smirking and licking his lips to unsuccessfully get come off of his chin, Kylo gingerly put Hux’s cock back into his black lace trimmed, empire red satin briefs. Kylo ran his fingers over the silky smooth satin for one long moment, raising his eyes to meet Hux’s. Apparently the ginger had a thing for wearing sexy underwear. He'd have to remember that.

Zipping up Hux’s pants, Kylo ran his hands over the General’s thighs, grounding the ginger. As his red eyes turned back into the normal icy blue, Hux found himself running his fingers down from Kylo’s hair to cup his chin, smearing cum with his thumb. 

It was a decidedly good look for Kylo.

“Come for us, Techie,” Kylo purred softly, his eyes flaring gold again.

Hux breathed out a gasp of residual pleasure as Techie came with a muffled sob in the next room. 

Strangely enough, Hux could feel, sense, and mentally hear everything the other man was experiencing. It nearly caused him to come again. Then Hux realized that his mental walls were down. 

Kylo arched a brow at Hux and then murmured as he helped the ginger sit up fully, “They aren’t.”

“What do you mean?” Hux asked, though he figured what Kylo was referring to.

In answer Kylo breathed into his mind, _Your defenses are up. You let them slip just once and our minds connected briefly, not intentionally. After you came, your defenses went back up, but now you are in the same boat as Techie and I._

 _You can’t be serious,_ Hux tried to deny, but when he could literally feel slight tugs in two places in his mind, both being plucked gently by Kylo, he sighed deeply. Though he really should have been pissed about this whole situation, Hux was too blissed out to care. He’d worry about it later. Right now, he was content to run his fingers through Kylo’s hair.

The Force user leaned into the touch for long moments as both calmed, being incredibly touch starved and enjoying the attention. Eventually, Kylo got up and headed for the door, intent on checking on Techie. And after a moment, Hux got up and followed him, trying to ignore the mess that had become of his office. The mess could be cleaned up later.

Techie had pulled his knees up to his chest, but otherwise he wasn’t doing anything else when the other two joined him. Hux wrinkled his nose at the intense smell of sex in the air, and figured all three of them would need to have a shower pretty soon. Kylo let out a grunt in agreement, as he plonked his ass down next to Techie on the couch, making sure to give the other man some space should he need it.

Hux awkwardly stood near the couch for a moment before offering, “Caf, anyone? Or if you would prefer, I have rum, whiskey, or tea.” He was trying to cover his awkwardness at not having many visitors in his humble abode by at least being civilized and courteous, and it was a welcome distraction. Techie, though still looking like a street urchin down on his luck, he looked less rigid and fearful than the last time Hux had seen him awake. In fact, the other male looked positively blissed out. 

Orgasms were wonderful things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *So yea, that happened o_o . I totally blame @jeusus for Hux's sexy underwear fetish. If anyone has not seen her work here: [Jeusus](http://jeusus.tumblr.com), please do. 
> 
> *Special note on Hux's quarters: I know that the Phasma book is out there about him having a blue sofa or something like that but I haven't had the chance to read it. Therefore, I came up with something that in my opinion a vampire hybrid Hux would appreciate. Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Next chapter should be up next week (or sooner depending on how fast my poor fingers can type to another benchmark word count figure before allowing myself to post another chapter). Currently 103k has been written, so there's a good buffer, but I still want to give myself some extra goals so I don't run out of buffer. Thank you!


	3. Discussions and Developments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You can sense his thoughts and feelings as well as I can, so why don’t you tell me?” Kylo said with an arched brow. “Not to mention you’ve been watching us both for the last six months or so, correct?”
> 
> “I was afraid of that,” Techie said with a nervous huff of amusement before he sobered quickly, looking down at his hands. “I should feel and be ashamed that I was watching you two. I’ll stop if you want.”
> 
> “Quite the voyeur, aren’t you?” Kylo mused softly, amused. Then he said, “We all have our wants and desires, Techie. I should be disturbed by the thought of you watching us whenever you are able to, but I am not. You may continue on your own time if you wish, but on one condition.”
> 
> Techie nervously fingered a thread of Millicent’s blanket, listening, but not wanting to meet the knight’s gaze. Kylo went on, “That condition is that you give me a copy of that picture of Hux you captured earlier this week.”
> 
>  _Oh dear, that is a lovely picture of me, isn’t it?_ Hux’s voice filtered into Techie’s head, plucking the picture in question out of both of their heads. _I might want a copy myself._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Managing to get out the next chapter up early this week, so yay :) And boy is it a long one ;) 
> 
> Thank you so much for all of your kudos, hits and of course comments. I greatly appreciate them and they help keep inspiring me to write more on this fic. Only triggers in this one are mild references to Techie's past, and references towards past self harm - that's about it. I hope to have the next chapter up next Thursday. Hope you all enjoy!

[](https://imgur.com/cs9Sn2m)

### Chapter 3: Discussions and Developments

“I don’t know about you two, but I am exhausted, and have precisely four hours and twenty one minutes, give or take a few score of seconds before I need to be up and about again. I might be now mostly nocturnal, but I haven’t slept in over seventy six hours,” Hux said softly as he came back, mugs of tea for everyone besides himself. Though Hux truly wished he could have a nice cup of hot caf, the effect would now be lost on him. 

Thanks to Kylo Ren.

Speaking of Kylo, the knight took up his mug and sipped the hot drink, the act completely out of place in its domesticity. Techie waited a while, simply taking the offered mug and cradling it with his hands for warmth. Hux sat down on the chair near the couch, crossing one leg over the other, folding his hands to prop on one knee. He regarded both males carefully, noting each one seemed to be lost in their own thoughts, and though he could hear the soft chatter pushing against his mind, Hux didn’t necessarily want to try and decipher them both – plus try to know what his own mind was thinking.

How Kylo managed to stand all of this was a small wonder. But the man had had plenty of training in blocking other’s thoughts from bombarding his own. Techie, however, had no training. It’s a wonder that the other ginger still had any sanity left to him – especially with his traumatic history. Hux’s eyes turned to Techie, noting that the male still seemed content, and his eyes seemed a bit less puffy than earlier. If he truly decided to concentrate on Techie’s thoughts – just Techie’s, then he probably could catch some of the memories Kylo had viewed earlier or even deeper into the man’s history.

But, Hux wasn’t one to want to pry into the affairs of the other man. Hux had spoken the truth to Kylo when he’d told him Techie had been through enough. Now, he understood that even moreso. Techie’s head was a dangerous place, filled with raw pain and fear. Drawing his attention back to himself, Hux got straight to the point.

“So, perhaps it might be good to be brief in what has happened tonight and then have us all clean up and get some rest, any objections?” Hux asked, and when receiving none, he smirked. “Good. Let us start at the beginning – as in what actually happened (and how it happened) to cause one of my surveillance rooms to become a bloodbath, give or take a few body parts.”

Techie suddenly started clenching his mug, tension threatening to take over his sense of peace and Hux let out a tired sigh. “Techie, it’s alright. Ren can explain if you don’t wish to. I don’t fancy putting you under more duress than you’ve already been tonight.”

“No, it’s fine,” Techie said hesitantly, before he licked his chapped lips and shrugged. “You need to know. And I can’t have Lord Ren” –

“Kylo. You may call me Kylo in private,” Kylo interrupted, and from the glower and mental _‘let him speak, you twit’_ he received from Hux, he backpedaled, saying, “Go on, Techie.”

Hux’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline. Perhaps having his thoughts heard when it came to certain situations, wasn’t necessarily such a bad thing. Hux’s attention snapped back to Techie, the traumatized man waiting a moment to gather his thoughts before he murmured, “Thank you….Kylo.”

Looking down at his mug, Techie explained, “I was just trying to say that Lord Re-Kylo shouldn’t have to speak for me.” He then started chewing on his bottom lip, “And, though he, and you, and I share thoughts now – though sometimes it’s louder than other times, you still need to hear my side of the story, right? Kylo saw into my head – and how you managed not to destroy me while doing it – which by the way I greatly appreciate, but what he saw there I can’t even begin to understand. So it might be good for me to talk about it. _Kriff_ , I am not making any sense, am I?”

The hesitant babble didn’t bother Hux, though it probably would have, had he not taken an instant liking to Techie. Or the fact that indeed, they now had a Force bond or whatever Kylo called it. So, he could sense that the man really was trying to formulate sentences - the words just didn’t make it correctly out of his mouth. Some people were like that. Mitaka was a prime example. And depending on the levels of rage Kylo was feeling, sometimes he was the same way.

Plus, it helped that Techie had saved his life – or prevented an assassination attempt. So, that definitely gave the other man blaster points in his book. “You’d be surprised that I do understand to some degree, Techie. Plus sometimes speaking about it helps when someone has been through trauma.”

“Well um, ok.” Techie took a sip of his tea and then got an intense look on his face of which both Kylo and Hux realized was determination. Finally the words started flying out of his mouth in a long babble for long minutes before he breathed out, “So, that’s what happened. I don’t know how it happened, apart from what I’ve heard mentally from Kylo…. And I understand if you want – you want to send me away or kill me.”

Letting another breath out in a relieved whoosh, Techie leaned back on the couch and would be perfectly fine not to say anything ever again for the rest of his life. Kylo shared an amused look with Hux before he reached over and gently took Techie’s empty mug from his trembling hands. After putting the mug onto the end table next to his helmet, noting that the General had been kind enough to bring it back with him when he’d returned from the Surveillance room, Kylo turned his attention to said General when he started speaking.

“Thank you, Techie, but it’s not necessary to send you away, or to kill you. That would be counterproductive, would it not?” Hux murmured, rubbing his face and eyelids tiredly. “I actually should award you a promotion, honestly. However, I believe Ren has something else in mind for you as you probably have heard in his thoughts; and depending on how you answer his proposal - then we will see about your position on this ship.”

Techie seemed to look a bit more at ease, though he looked a bit lost. Apparently the other ginger wasn’t used to this sort of benign attention. Running his hands over his face tiredly, Hux thought for a moment as to what to do with the situation with ten or more members of the crew now to be replaced. 

Finally coming up with an idea, Hux suggested, “With your permission, though I don’t necessarily need it – but you did save my life and that of Ren’s so this courtesy deems appropriate, is that when I fill out my report, I can go ahead and say that the men were involved in a mutual skirmish and killed one another in the process. That will save you from unnecessary unwanted attention from the rest of the crew, and it will ensure that said crew will be none the wiser to the fact that assassins were on board. It would be a benefit for all of us I think. Less paperwork for myself, less of a mess with crew morale, etc. Of course finding replacements might be a bit of a hassle, but that will have to happen regardless. Does that sound favorable to you?”

“Yes, sir! That would be great,” Techie said, relief flooding over his features. 

“Splendid, and it’s Hux in private,” Hux said with a small smile before he shared another pointed look with Kylo before he stood, saying, “Now, I am going to take a hot shower while you two discuss the whole Master / Apprentice deal. And then, once I am finished, Techie, you may have your turn if you wish.”

“But, sir, I have nothing clean to wear, and it would be too much of an inconvenience, wouldn’t it?” Techie asked, suddenly alarmed, his bionic eyes wide.

“You look to be about the same height and build as me, for the most part, so you may borrow some sleepwear. Of course, if the connotations make you feel a bit uneasy about returning to your quarters in mere sleepwear, you may rest assured that you can sleep on my couch tonight. Ren may fetch some clothes for you in the morning. And no, it’s not an inconvenience. Believe me, if it were an inconvenience I wouldn’t have offered,” Hux stated dryly before he headed into the refresher, closing the door to prevent any more protests. It also would be a blessing on his poor olfactory senses if all of them got much needed showers.

Techie’s eyes were still wide as he turned and looked at Kylo, who was fighting hard and failing not to smirk at the General’s antics. “Is he always like this?”

“You can sense his thoughts and feelings as well as I can, so why don’t you tell me?” Kylo said with an arched brow. “Not to mention you’ve been watching us both for the last six months or so, correct?”

“I was afraid of that,” Techie said with a nervous huff of amusement before he sobered quickly, looking down at his hands. “I should feel and be ashamed that I was watching you two. I’ll stop if you want.”

“Quite the voyeur, aren’t you?” Kylo mused softly, amused. Then he said, “We all have our wants and desires, Techie. I should be disturbed by the thought of you watching us whenever you are able to, but I am not. You may continue on your own time if you wish, but on one condition.”

Techie nervously fingered a thread of Millicent’s blanket, listening, but not wanting to meet the knight’s gaze. Kylo went on, “That condition is that you give me a copy of that picture of Hux you captured earlier this week.”

 _Oh dear, that is a lovely picture of me, isn’t it?_ Hux’s voice filtered into Techie’s head, plucking the picture in question out of both of their heads. _I might want a copy myself._

Flushing scarlet, Techie buried his face into his hands in a mixture of embarrassment and arousal. The feeling wasn’t necessarily bad, but it could have been way worse, Techie knew. The fact that both Kylo and Hux didn’t seem to mind this side of Techie was astounding. 

The anxiety coming off of Techie in waves made Kylo reach out and take hold of the other man’s hand into his. Techie’s hand trembled before he slowly calmed. Finally, the technician peaked out from behind his mop of matted hair, pulling the conversation away from that particular path, “So, I am going to be your Apprentice….”

“If that’s what you want, then yes,” Kylo said softly. “Either way, you will need to learn to block out all of the _‘noise’_ as you put it.”

 _I might need to sit in a few of those lessons, Ren, now that I think about it,_ Hux mused as he continued cleansing himself of the long day’s stresses. _I don’t know how this sort of bond works, and though mind to mind speech is very effective once in a while, I would like to have my own thoughts to myself for the most part._

 _Well, I did tell you that I’d help you as well, to turn your weaknesses into strengths, so I do not mind,_ Kylo told him, his voice soft and pleasant in Hux’s mind.

 _You did, indeed,_ Hux smirked. _I’ll hold you to your end of the bargain._

 _I wouldn’t have it any other way, Hux._ Amusement filtered through Kylo’s thoughts before turning his attention back to Techie.

“Yes, not having to hear everyone’s thoughts would be very nice,” Techie admitted before he finally sighed. “But, I really don’t have a choice, do I? I mean, if something like before happens again only with innocent members of the crew, then you’d have to **destroy** me, wouldn’t you? So it’s beneficial for everyone if I just say yes.”

"You still have a choice. Someone else can teach you, but someone will need to eventually. I won’t lie to you, Techie,” Kylo said, gently rubbing Techie’s fingers in hopefully a soothing manner. “The Force chooses who it wants to be gifted. And yes, if you got out of control to a point where you could not come back from it, I would or someone else would eventually have to make sure you never did it again. Regardless of all that, you may think your gift is a curse, and up until now, it has been. But, it’s not anymore. You don’t have to hide behind your fears anymore. I want you to join me.”

When Techie still looked agitated, he added, “Join me, _please_. I am offering to help you, protect you, teach you, and in time you will overcome it all. I sense the strength in you.”

“But why _me_? Why do you care?” Techie asked, knowing the answer, but wanting to hear it voiced aloud. “And where does the General fit into all this?”

Kylo snorted and narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at the other man. “You really want me to say it.”

“Not want, I need it… I need to hear it. Please….” Techie said, feeling a bit ashamed but not backing down.

“Very well. I won’t lie, and I won’t sugar coat anything. I never have been good with compliments, nor am I good at expressing my feelings other than using the Dark Side of the Force as an outlet.” Kylo leaned in close to Techie and reached up to push the hair away from the man’s face. He truly looked at him for a moment before he finally whispered, “Everything happens for a reason, Techie. The Force has chosen you, as it chooses everyone. That is the why. As for why do I care? You’ve come from nothing. You’re _nothing_. But, not to **me**. I care because you are worth it. Plain and simple. And, if and when you are ready, I want you as an ally, too. So does Hux. Where he fits in, is where he belongs. Right in the middle of everything.”

 _I heard **that** , Ren,_ Hux shot back, causing Techie to snicker and Kylo to roll his eyes in amusement. 

Techie knew there was way more to it than that, but he was content for now. Finally he whispered, “How exactly would it work – the Apprentice thing?”

“You would have to cease your job as a technician for starters. Being an Apprentice is a full time deal, and I will request that you be in my presence for the biggest portion of your days at first. We can start with the mental training first, one step at a time. Eventually, we can move on to physical training, and go from there. Though I still need to follow orders and be elsewhere alone at times, I want you to still practice and hone your skills. You are highly skilled with computers, so to make things easier – and if the General has no objections, Hux can have you on the bridge or with him during his routine inspections of the ship when I am otherwise occupied. It will help in exposing you to an environment with other people around where you can test your mental defenses,” Kylo said and waited for the ginger to digest what he’d suggested.

Hux put in a soft, _I wouldn’t have any objections. I could use extra brilliance on the bridge and elsewhere when you are available, Techie._

Techie nodded slowly. “That sounds fair. But, what about the people I used to work with? Not that I care about what they feel about seeing me possibly make such a jump in the ranks of the First Order, but, I don’t want them to get jealous or _violent_ about it.”

 _That would pose a bit of a problem, but I don’t think it’ll be too much of one. People are promoted all the time, especially in times of war. If you start to have a problem that you feel like you can’t handle, then just let myself or Ren know and we will handle accordingly,_ Hux said. _Regardless of what other people think, you will be an Apprentice to the Knights of Ren’s very own Master. Though it might draw some unwanted attention to you, I don’t think it will be hostile. Most of the crew want to stay out of Ren’s way, so they will probably treat you with the same respect and wariness. Guilty by association, and all that._

Techie nodded slowly, knowing that what the General had said was true.

Feeling a bit of a small victory at Techie’s acquiescence, Kylo sobered when he thought of something else. He added after a moment, “I will also need to talk to the Supreme Leader about this so he understands that you will need to be at my or Hux’s side quite a bit during the majority of your training.”

“Will I need to meet him?” Techie asked, anxiety flooding back in again. Kriff, he had heard so many stories about the illusive leader to the First Order. Not much was truly known about him except for the fact that he was ruthless and powerful in his malevolence. 

“Eventually, but not for quite a while. The Supreme Leader has many things that occupy his attention right now, like finding the map fragment to Luke Skywalker, defeating the Resistance, amongst other things,” Kylo said, hoping to alleviate the technician’s anxiety. “He’ll be curious about you, of that I am certain, but will respect my wishes in keeping you away from him until you are ready to face him. The Supreme Leader is cunning and wise, and has no need to see most underlings that haven’t grasped their possible potential yet.”

Hux came out of the refresher then, towel drying his hair off as he advanced into the room. Techie and Kylo practically ogled his form, prior discussion forgotten, noting that the General in basic black draw string slacks, black short sleeved undershirt and walking around bare footed was an amazingly domestic but wanted sight. Under all that padding of his uniform, Hux was wiry and nubile, lean muscles gracing his arms, legs and chest, though there were small sections of softness where the General hadn’t managed to work on during his work out exercises. 

Kylo felt himself stir and noted that Techie was feeling the same way. Hux snapped their attention away from his form by saying, “One step at a time, Techie. There will be plenty of time to hash out responsibilities, plans, and the like.” He then gestured to the refresher, “Use what you wish, I am pretty well stocked up. I’ll go grab you something to sleep in while you freshen up.”

“Thank you, sir,” Techie said lamely, totally forgetting about being able to call the other man ‘Hux’, before he stood and awkwardly passed him.

Hux arched a ginger brow at the other man’s back as he practically fled into the refresher, closing the door with a snick. Snorting a bit at the twitchy submissive antics, Hux threw his towel into a small laundry chute in the side closet near his bedroom. Feeling Kylo’s eyes back on him, he sighed softly. Looking over his shoulder at the entranced knight, Hux said simply, “Am I that much of a distraction for you both?”

“Very, though it’s a welcome distraction,” Kylo mumbled huskily, his eyes raking the General’s form. “If it weren’t for the fact that I am chafing in the remains of my desire from earlier, and therefore feel a bit disgusting, I’d want to explore all that exposed skin. It looks so pale and soft.”

“Mmmmm, I might let you explore it and more some other time,” Hux replied as he went into his bedroom to fetch some sleepwear for Techie. When he returned, Kylo was getting ready to leave. 

“Where are you going?” Hux asked with an arched brow.

Kylo looked a bit awkward, and Hux caught a few thoughts from the darkly garbed knight before he sighed with a small smirk. “Very well. Just be sure to come back. I don’t want Techie to feel like you’ve abandoned him.”

The knight rolled his eyes in exasperation before he left, wanting nothing more than to rip off his chafing clothing. Plus, it’s not like he’d be able to fit into any of the General’s clothing, should the man had offered them to him. Hux and Kylo were close to the same height, yes, but that’s where the similar build stopped. Kylo was big, and he trained every single day to keep his physical shape honed. It was intense training, but it was well worth the results.

Techie felt the knight leave Hux’s quarters, and had caught some of the thoughts of the other man’s before he concentrated on washing his mop of hair. It had been so kriffing long since he’d washed it with care. Back at the mercy of Mama, he hadn’t been able to take care of much personal hygiene, nor had he wanted to. The dirtier and smellier he was, the less people bothered him. Techie wasn’t so far down the self-esteem barrel that he didn’t know that he was attractive to some people. The General and Kylo aside – who had seen his value despite all of the filth and twitchiness, most people Techie had encountered in his life had wanted nothing to do with him if he was dirty and depressing. 

Techie had been fine with that. It was a simple and effective defense against rapists and the like. Regardless, Mama had seen through it all, just like Kylo and Hux had. But, somehow Techie doubted that Kylo and Hux would force him to do anything. Orders aside, at least the two were honest. Yes, mind links meant that neither one of them could lie to the other, but it was still nice to know where Techie stood in their strange triad. Plus, Techie doubted that Kylo and Hux would ever hurt him, at least not in the way Mama had.

Mama had thought the eyes he had been born with were too pretty. They had made her feel ashamed and were too judgingly innocent for what she had planned for Techie. Therefore, one day, she had a few gang members hold him down while she took care of the problem with her own thumbs. The bionic eyes were effective replacements, but they tended to chafe too much with all the dirt Techie surrounded himself with. It didn’t help if he couldn’t really rest them without nightmares waiting, ready to strike.

But, now though, he truly did have a choice to make something of himself. And if it meant helping in lessening his fears and pain, then he was actually fine with that. Kylo might not be the best Master, but he knew the Force and knew Techie’s deepest and darkest part of his history. He knew it all, and for once Techie felt relief in knowing that someone else knew. Hux was giving him the decency not to pry too much in his past, of which Techie was grateful for, but even the General had a gist in understanding what he’d gone through. 

So, as Techie fully washed his hair a second time with Hux’s forest smelling shampoo, he made his decision. The General’s sensitive olfactory senses aside, Techie felt like he was turning over a new leaf, shedding skin to allow something new to form, much like an earthen snake. Careful not to get conditioner in his eyes, Techie started scrubbing his skin until it was pink and nearly raw. The dirt was finally washing away.

Perhaps it was due to the prospect of not getting too out of control. Maybe it was due to the fact that he knew on an instinctive level that the General and Kylo were safe. Or it could be something else entirely, but Techie really didn’t want to dwell on the full reason as to why he was accepting this.

Maybe it was time for a change.

It would be nice to be able to defend himself against the voices, against the raw pain of his past. And perhaps eventually he could turn out to be a powerful ally to both Hux and Kylo. Maybe he could one day return the favor and protect them as well – only this time with every intention of doing so. And if nothing romantically lasting came out of their strange relationship, then that was ok too. Techie wasn’t even sure how he really felt about that kind of ‘ally-ship’ that Kylo had implied. Perhaps one day he’d feel more comfortable in his own skin and he’d be able to jump on that bantha when the time was right.

For now, it was good to take one day at a time.

\-------------

“He’ll need his own room near mine,” Kylo murmured when he’d returned. 

The knight’s quarters were not that far from the General’s, though it was more ensconced in a circular labyrinth of other quarters in which formed what the crew – Stormtroopers and officers alike – had fondly or fearfully labeled as the “Ren Corridor”. The Knights of Ren stayed in that wing of the ship when they visited or were there on official business and though Hux had only met one or two others in that faction of the First Order, he usually tried to steer clear of that area. 

If he had ever needed to contact Kylo or request his presence, though rare, he’d send a com or a message and left it at that. It wasn’t that he feared being in that part of the ship, it was more along the lines of having no desire whatsoever to see Kylo. Now that their relationship had shifted, perhaps for the better or worse, depending on how things went from now on, Hux was actually curious to see how the knight lived. Maybe some time in the near future he’d allow himself to visit Kylo’s quarters, if not for the sake of finding Techie when needed, then for the sake of quenching his new found curiosity.

“Of course, I will have it taken care of in the morning,” Hux affirmed, before he started on a different subject, though he was loathed to. “While you were cleaning up, I received a message from one of the Stormtroopers down on Jakku.”

“And?” Kylo asked, sitting up straight in the chair he now was on. Hux regarded the other man with a bit of apprehension.

“The crash site of the rogue TIE fighter was apparently a lost cause. Whatever wreckage was found a few days ago is now in the belly of the badland sandpits, which is kriffingly frustrating, I must admit. However, the Stormtroopers followed two sets of trails, one leading towards Nima Outpost and the other leading towards the north. The Stormtroopers that were going to the north have yet to find anything. But, the one leading to the outpost has found FN-2187’s armor.” Before Kylo could get agitated, Hux said with a small smirk, “Though FN-2187 has not yet been spotted, I have sent Phasma down with a squadron to set up a trap for him at the outpost.”

“Good, perhaps the pilot has confided in the traitor and has told him about the whereabouts of the droid.” Kylo thought for a long moment before he said, “Or perhaps they both are diverting our attention from the droid’s whereabouts, probably understanding we are on their tail.”

“If that is the case, it gives us more time to search for the illusive rust bucket,” Hux said thoughtfully. Then he shrugged. “One can only tell once the perpetrators or the droid are apprehended.” 

“Perhaps….” Kylo’s voice trailed off, getting a determined look on his face.

Narrowing his eyes at Kylo, not liking where his thoughts were going, Hux said, “Not that you would _ever_ listen to me when it comes to your dealings with my men, but at least listen for the benefit of Techie. You said you were going to start training him. How is that to happen if you decide to head down to Jakku to go on a possibly irritating and fruitless search for the droid by yourself?”

“I **need** that map, Hux,” Kylo said in exasperation, though for once he wasn’t rising to the bait of Hux’s verbal challenge. “And Supreme Leader Snoke wants the droid situation resolved sooner rather than later.”

“I understand that all too well, Ren,” Hux soothed, before he added pointedly, “And the droid will be found. Though unsavory as it is, we have our feelers out with the local bounty and smuggler populace to be on the watch for it as well. At least wait until tomorrow afternoon. That way you can have some much needed rest, and you will be able to at least get Techie settled into his own quarters.”

Kylo grit his teeth and rubbed his tired eyelids in frustration. Now was not the time to go punching his fist into a wall – not that the fact had ever stopped him before, but Techie was depending on him now. It wouldn’t do to scare the shit out of him this early in the game. Not that the other man hadn’t seen him in all his glory when the Dark Side of the Force raged within him, but this was different. Kylo had felt Techie’s assent as he’d gone to clean up. 

A lot of things had to change now, for the benefit of his new Apprentice, if not for everyone else. 

With a few deep breaths hissed through his teeth, Kylo forced himself to calm his anger. Without truly thinking about the consequences, he finally bit out, “Fine. I will wait until tomorrow, but only if you, Techie, and I get to sleep in your bed.”

Where the karking _hell _had that come from? Kylo felt like ripping his tongue out in a horrified dramatic fashion, but when he spotted what his outburst had done to Hux, he felt it was totally worth the humiliation. Hux was trying very hard to imitate a fish, though both of their expressions turned to shock when Techie said in a small voice, “Yes, please!” The man had finished with the refresher and now was closing the door behind him, feeling a bit weird in Hux’s sleepwear.__

____

Noting that the ginger still looked exhausted and painfully shy, Hux felt that Techie looked rather delectable in his clothes. There were scars of self-harm riddled all over the other ginger’s arms and wrists, but otherwise his skin was pale but flushed from the recent shower. The scars didn’t bother Hux, and from the mental agreement coming from Kylo, the knight didn’t seem bothered either. Scars like that weren’t exactly a weakness in their minds’ eye. To them, scars of self-harm showed inner turmoil, yes, but also a physical showing of prevalence that no normal person would ever begin to understand. It only made Techie look stronger in their eyes. 

____

Techie was a survivor in every sense of the word and that he had overcome several battles on his own. The fact that there were no fresh scars told the testament that Techie felt safer with the First Order as well – of course what had happened earlier tonight was an exception to that rule.

____

Looking over the rest of his frame, Hux noted that Techie’s hair was brushed and shiny, though was still badly in need of nutrition supplements. His eyelids were less puffy but still in need of rest and more medicine. His tall, lanky frame was slight, and with the right diet and physical exercise, Techie would fill out nicely. 

____

The former technician bit his lip as he shuffled into the room, barefoot and with his hair still a bit damp. Suddenly feeling a bit nervous and hesitant, Techie grabbed some of the drawstrings to his borrowed sleep pants and started playing with them. The act was incredibly adorable. Techie, sensing Kylo and Hux’s attention on his person, flushed and started saying, “It’s ok. I mean, if you don’t want to, that’s fine, but all three of us need sleep, and both of you look incredibly tired and the couch is nice, but I might wake the d-dead with my night terrors. So, maybe it would be better if I feel safe? Or maybe if the two of you or one of you is there to wake me up? Or maybe Kylo can do that Force thing and make me _not_ have nightmares?”

____

“Techie, it’s fine,” Hux said with a tired yawn, stretching to get the kinks out of his back. He stood and absently scratched his head, the act so normal and painfully human it nearly took Kylo’s breath away. Hux sniffed in Techie’s direction and caught the other man’s own unique clean scent underneath the borrowed bath products. It was enticing, and the blood flowing through Techie’s veins smelled good as well. It was a good thing he’d fed from Kylo earlier, otherwise he might have wanted to push Techie in a direction he wasn’t sure the other man was ready for. As he passed Techie on the way to the bedroom, the _dhampyre_ met Techie’s bionic gaze and teased lightly, “If you wanted _both_ Ren and myself in bed with you this soon into our triad relationship, you should have just _told_ us.”

____

Techie flushed redder, feeling the heated tinge of lust and need coming off of the _dhampyre_ , and let out a whoosh of relief when Kylo grunted, “Who’s the pervert **now** , Hux?” 

____

The knight stood and stretched, allowing his own black sleep shirt to ride up against his stomach, showing Techie a nice peak at his flat stomach. Kylo’s sleep pants rode low on his hips, and were doing way too many naughty things to Techie’s body and mind. Kriff, now he was getting hard. Techie rubbed his nose and tried hard not to laugh when Hux gave Kylo a crude gesture in return.

____

This was something to get used to. But, Techie very, _very_ much wanted to get used to this. 

____

Kylo padded into the bedroom behind Hux, leaning in a bit to smell the _dhampyre_ ’s snowy scent before huffing a bit and asking simply, “Where do you want me?”

____

Of all the things Techie could not fathom, the vision of all three of them discussing bedding arrangements was a huge one. Still, Techie went with the flow as he always did, once the fear and hesitation was out the door. Eventually, it was deemed that Techie would be in the middle, but facing the door just in case he woke in the middle of the sleep cycle from a nightmare so he could see that he was safe. Hux was likewise facing the door, though he was on his back, allowing Techie to cuddle into his side. After trying and failing to figure out where it was ok to place his hands, Techie ended up glomping Hux with an arm around the other ginger’s chest. Kylo awkwardly wrapped an arm around Techie’s middle and practically used the other as a body pillow to cuddle with, though after the ginger breathed out a sigh of contentment, he relaxed.

____

Determined to make sure Techie didn’t have any night terrors – though it didn’t always work, Kylo ran a free hand over the still damp long ginger hair of his new Apprentice. “Sleep well, Techie,” he murmured before he nudged Techie’s mind to rest again with no interruptions.

____

“Thank you,” Techie mumbled, his face already burrowing into Hux’s side. 

____

A few more seconds passed before the ginger fully relaxed into deep sleep. _That was kind of you, Ren,_ Hux murmured into Kylo’s head before he too, closed his eyes and forced his tired brain to rest.

____

In the darkness of the night, illuminated only by the stars outside of the large skylight and windows, Kylo breathed out a huff in answer. 

____

\-----------------------------

____

Sometime during the night, Millicent had found her way back onto the bed where she effectively burrowed her orange body into Hux’s sternum. Hux had briefly rubbed her ears in his sleep, but otherwise wasn’t bothered by the cat’s antics. Millicent had watched her Master and his companions curiously for a long few minutes before she had put herself into potato formation and fell asleep.

____

Techie didn’t have any nightmares through the night. In fact, he slept for a good eight hours, not even waking when Hux got up for the day merely four hours into his sleep. Hux had looked at the long haired ginger fondly before he had met Kylo’s dark eyes and whispered, “I honestly wish I could get back into bed and stay with you both for another few hours. I don’t think I’ve slept that well in ages.”

____

“Then why don’t you?” Kylo had asked sleepily, a huge yawn splitting his face apart so much that his jaws creaked. Letting out a soft huff, Kylo had looked down at the man currently enveloped in his arms. His new Apprentice had literally become a defanged Rathtar overnight, his legs entangled with the knight’s, his face completely smashed into his chest, and his arms holding Kylo in an extensive fiercely possessive hug. The knight wouldn’t be able to extract himself from Techie, even if he’d wanted to. 

____

How Hux had managed to detangle himself was a mystery.

____

“Believe it or not, Ren, I do take my responsibility as General of this ship very seriously,” Hux had said, but without any heat. In fact, he had laid there in bed several minutes after his alarm had awoken him just contemplating on sending a message to Mitaka to oversee things by himself for a few hours. 

____

“Too seriously, in my opinion, but also commendable. Suit yourself.” Kylo had stretched slightly, or as best he could with Techie hanging onto him like a lifeline. “Let me know if anything comes up about the droid.”

“Of course, though I should be jealous of you giving it so much thought,” Hux had said, before he leaned in and gave Kylo a slow kiss. The knight had rumbled in surprised pleasure, thoroughly enjoying this side of the General.

____

Then Hux had pulled away and whispered, “Sleep well.”

____

“I intend to, and yes, you should be _extremely_ jealous,” Kylo had replied back with a small playful smirk, causing Hux to roll his eyes.

____

Millicent had mewed at Hux as he left, stretching as far as she could in the space where he’d slept and the ginger had blown her a goodbye kiss before opening his bedroom door. After the General had left, immaculately dressed with not a hair out of place, Kylo had fallen back asleep pretty quickly. Now, though, Kylo needed to get up, or at least get Techie up off of his bladder. Finally managing to peel himself out of Techie’s vice like grip – which threatened to give Kylo way too many distracting thoughts about what said grip could feel like on a certain part of his anatomy, the knight made sure that the other man was still resting peacefully before heading to the refresher.

____

After feeling much more relieved, Kylo padded back into the bedroom, noting with a snort that Techie had cocooned himself in the General’s comforter during his brief absence. Huffing a small sigh, the knight went about his business in getting ready for the day and left Techie to rest more. Hux had sent him a few messages on his wrist data device, stating that Techie’s new quarters was ready to go and that the former technician’s things had already been moved. 

____

Kylo arched a brow at that. Hux might like to think he had no conscience or even a soul, but the _dhampyre_ took care of his own. Reading a few more recent messages, Kylo noted that the operation to extract FN-2187 was underway, that the traitor had almost reached Nima Outpost. There was still no sign of the droid or the pilot. Narrowing his eyes thoughtfully, the knight briefly warred with himself.

____

On one hand, he wanted to take matters into his own hands, Hux’s Stormtroopers be damned. But, on the other hand, Hux had been right. Kylo now had a new responsibility. And if he was as serious about it as he’d thought, then the knight needed to stay at least until Techie got settled. With a soft frustrated sigh, Kylo called for a medical droid to come by with some more antibacterial wipes, bacta pouches, and eye drops. Though Kylo was not a medical expert or doctor in any sense of the imagination, he had experience in taking care of simple things out in the field, where medical personnel were few and far between. 

____

While waiting for the medical droid to arrive, Kylo left Hux’s quarters to go into the Ren’s Corridor to find some suitable clothes for Techie to borrow. After finding some Apprentice clothes about the same height and build as Techie – give or take a few inches in length of the pants, Kylo figured that would have to do for now. Clothing in tow, he headed back to the General’s quarters, glowering at anyone he encountered on his way. 

____

Most officers and personnel took one curious look at his bare face and hurried in the other direction, not wanting to deal with the moody knight or his possible temper if they were caught staring. Kylo grit his teeth, wondering if he really should have just put his helmet on for the small trip.

____

Once he got back into Hux’s quarters, he noted that Techie was still asleep, so he sat down in a chair and waited for the droid to show up, absently rubbing his fingers over the hem of the folded tunic on the top of the pile of borrowed clothing now in his lap. After the droid had come and deposited its supplies and instructions for their use, Kylo dismissed it with a snort. Droids were easier to deal with than most people. 

____

Though Kylo loathed awakening Techie while the ginger was sleeping so peacefully, it was time to get him up. The sooner his Apprentice got settled, the sooner Kylo could assist in finding the droid. Going into Hux’s bedroom, clothing and medical supplies in tow, he paused a moment to look at his new Apprentice. In the time that he’d been otherwise occupied, Techie had kicked off his blankets and was now body hugging a pillow, his borrowed sleepshirt riding up just enough that Kylo could see glimpses of his bare back. 

____

Shaking himself out of his ogling, Kylo advanced into the room and sat down next to the ginger, careful not to startle him. Putting the clothing on the other side of him near the edge of the bed, Kylo started peeling away the medical casings to the antibacterial wipes. Reaching out with the Force, he gently prodded through all the sleep fog surrounding Techie’s mind and instantly the ginger’s eyes blinked open.

____

Techie yawned and stretched enough that his bones started clicking. His eyes then whirred a bit as he fought to remember where he was. Spotting Kylo fully dressed and sitting next to him caused the night before to come crashing into his thoughts. Techie stiffened slightly but then relaxed when he realized that he was safe. His eyelids itched a bit and he tried to keep himself from rubbing them.

____

Sensing his dilemma, Kylo said softly, “Sit up, those eyes need attending to.”

____

When the ginger complied by propping himself up against the black headboard of Hux’s bed, Kylo handed him a few antibacterial wipes. The ginger took them with a small grateful smile in thanks and started dabbing his eyelids.

____

“Make sure to dab your eyelids with bacta afterwards, though it might be better if you had a mirror to use. Unless, you want me to apply it again this time?” Kylo asked, suddenly feeling a bit hesitant.

____

“No, it’s ok. I can do this,” Techie said with a yawn, though he winced slightly at the feel of the antibacterial wipes tugging on some of his eyelashes. Taking the bacta pouches and eye drops from Kylo, Techie felt relieved that he didn’t have to worry about going to the med bay for these. Kylo had seemed to understand that he hated hospitals or clinics of any kind, and med bays were just as bad in Techie’s opinion.

____

“Very well. After administering the bacta, wait for five minutes before using the drops,” Kylo finished instructing, noting that Techie’s swollen lids were a hell of a lot better looking than the night before. “You’ll need to administer the routine once or twice a day until your eyelids are fully healed. My guess would be for at least a week. If you run out of supplies, you can order a medical droid to come by and give you some more instead of having to go to the med bay like the rest of the lower level officers and personnel. Being my Apprentice is not without its perks.”

____

“I appreciate that, thank you,” Techie said softly. He paused in his ministrations, looking over at Kylo owlishly. “So, what’s in store for today?”

____

Not that Techie was trying to be rude, he was just curious. Kylo wasn’t bothered though, so the ginger let out a calming breath, trying not to get too anxious. 

____

Kylo huffed softly and started explaining, “The General has set you up with quarters next to mine, and has seen to it that your things have been brought there. However, you will need a new wardrobe befitting that of a Knight of Ren Apprentice. I will take care of ordering those for you, however you may keep some clothes or order some clothes that you wish to relax or lounge in while not on duty. Until then, you may wear these in the meantime.” Kylo gestured to the folded set of black clothing near the edge of the bed. “They are uniform enough for now and I am sure Apprentice Ferris Ren will not mind you borrowing them for the time being.”

____

Techie reached over and picked up the bundle of clothing in interest. It was all black, but that really shouldn’t surprise him. The Knights of Ren – though most didn’t know much about them, were seen as dark blackly clad specters, always hiding in wait in the shadows, ready to pounce should anyone ever have the misfortune to be in their way. And now Techie was going to possibly become one of them.

____

Though the prospect of becoming some sort of feared and loathed entity should have appalled Techie, it really didn’t. In fact, it felt sort of exciting. 

____

“You will receive a monthly stipend on the same day you normally would receive your prior occupation’s pay, and I hope you find it satisfactory.” After Techie nodded his assent, Kylo went on, “Once you are ready, we will go to your new rooms and you can get settled. Once that is done, we will head to the Knights of Ren kitchens and get us both something to eat. Afterwards, I may have to leave you to your own devices for a while. You can stay in your rooms or otherwise amuse yourself until I return. When I return, depending on what time we have left, we will begin your training.”

____

Techie’s eyebrows shot up at the fact that the Knights of Ren had their own place to eat away from the officers, personnel and Stormtroopers. Then again, it kind of made sense. From glimpsing into Kylo’s thoughts – despite not really wanting to, Techie understood that the man was very private and often wanted time alone to think. The other Knights of Ren felt the same way and often kept to themselves if they weren’t amongst their fellow knights. It would be very nice not having to go grab food at strange hours when no one else was in the mess hall. Techie asked softly, “Are there any other Knights or Apprentices on board right now?”

____

“No.” Kylo smiled slightly when Techie breathed out a whoosh of relief. “They do come for meetings from time to time, but you shouldn’t encounter them for a while unless the Supreme Leader wishes to call an emergency meeting.”

____

Looking over his new Master a bit, he noted that Kylo was garbed in his normal attire, except for his outer robes, his cowl, collar, and his helmet. Black boots adorned his feet, well fitted pants graced his form that were cinched by a thick belt above his hips that covered his lower abdomen, and his ribbed long sleeved tunic accented the top of his torso quite nicely. In the dim 20% light of the room, Techie could make out the two small pinpricks on the left side of his throat, where Hux had fed from the night before.

____

Reaching out before he could truly think about it, Techie touched the area gently. Kylo’s expression grew more pensive, but he made no move to stop the light touch. Hux had marked him there, and it was no wonder why his new Apprentice was curious about it. 

____

“Did it hurt? Does it….” Techie flushed as he trailed off, meeting Kylo’s dark eyes with his bionic ones contracting slightly. It wasn’t that he didn’t remember the night before, or the fact that Kylo’s intense pleasure was what truly got him to wake up from his nap, but he hadn’t felt any pain. Just intense pleasure. It made him wonder what it would feel like to have Hux bite him like that.

____

“No, it didn’t and it doesn’t,” Kylo murmured softly, his eyes turning on a slightly aroused look as he remembered the night before. Hux had definitely surprised him, and though Kylo wasn’t usually one for surprises, he definitely hadn’t minded this one. “In fact,” he purred as he reached up to place his hand over Techie’s questing fingers, “It feels kriffing incredible. The pleasure is so _intense_ that it makes you want it to happen again and again.”

____

“Damn,” Techie breathed out, his mouth slightly agape in arousal. Heat was starting to pool into his groin, which was already sporting some morning wood, so with his free hand he clenched the bundle of borrowed clothing up against his lap, trying to hide unsuccessfully how affected he was.

____

“Exactly. Eventually, depending on how things go with the General in the future, he might bestow a claiming on you too, if you wish it.” Despite the act looking both intensely innocent and arousing, Kylo could sense the other man’s feelings. The thoughts coming out of Techie were still slightly confused, though the want and needs were putting up a good fight. Techie wasn’t quite ready for this sort of attention. So he pulled away slightly, breaking the tension in the room by saying, “Go ahead and take care of your eyes and get dressed. My stomach is about ready to eat itself out of my body, so make it quick.”

____

Techie nodded and bolted off of the bed, nearly face planting when his legs got caught up in the sheets. Kylo tried hard not to laugh, though he couldn’t help but say, “I didn’t mean to injure yourself while doing so, Techie.”

____

Techie huffed out a laugh in spite of himself, not taking offense, knowing from Kylo’s thoughts that he wasn’t trying to be snide. Still, he shot over his shoulder as he left the room, not being able to help giving in to the temptation to banter, “Well, I hate to break it to you Master, but I am kind of a terminal spastic klutz and face planting often happens whether intentional or no. Maybe I should have come with a warning label.”

____

Kylo did laugh then, though he felt all sorts of tingles go up and down his spine at Techie referring to him as ‘Master’ already. It was an incredibly good feeling, though he had to be careful that it didn’t go to his head too much. Hux would have his head on a spit otherwise. “Maybe I should do Hux a favor and warn him about this development. I am sure he’d appreciate the warning, now having to deal with two destructive Force sensitives on board.”

____

Techie grinned, thinking that the soft and deep, honest chuckle of Kylo’s laughter was a good sound. The ginger could tell that Kylo hadn’t used it in a while, probably having nothing much to laugh about in a long time, but that fact only made Techie want to hear the sound again. When he got to the refresher he shot back, “He might not like me then. Or you for encouraging me. And I don’t know about you, but I’d rather stay in his good graces at least for one day.”

____

“Too true. I guess we will have to try and keep it secret from him then,” Kylo replied, heading into the main room. “I’ll have to teach you mind blocking sooner rather than later, I presume.”

____

Techie snorted and nearly got bacta all over his face instead of just one eyelid in the process. Who knew it would be so much fun to engage in harmless banter, not just being one to watch it happen. It definitely helped being connected to Kylo’s mind, however, so he could understand his thoughts behind such quips. Techie knew that if he hadn’t been connected as he was to the Force user, then he’d probably not know how to take Kylo’s humor when it was directed at himself.

____

For once, Techie was glad that he could hear another’s voice inside his head. It was a good feeling, though he still wanted to learn how to raise his mental defenses. 

____

Idly petting Hux’s cat while he waited for Techie to get out of the refresher, Kylo reached out with the Force to check on the crew. That the assassins had been able to get that close on board the Finalizer without detection was infuriating. Infiltrators would always be an annoying thorn in the First Order’s side, but this had been pretty alarming that they had come that far. Kylo knew without having to read Hux’s mind that the General would probably be already refining the screening process for new First Order members along with reoccurring screening for the crew that were already well seasoned. After glimpsing into the minds of thousands aboard the ship, Kylo came back to himself, figuring that if there were other assassins out there amongst the crew, they were laying low.

____

Techie nervously smoothed down the wrinkles of the borrowed uniform Kylo had given him. The fabric was soft, but a bit stiff as if it hadn’t been worn in years. It felt good on his skin and didn’t snag on places where he had been branded or where scars graced his form. The black briefs were generic and weren’t too big or too small. The tunic was ribbed like Kylo’s though short sleeved. The undershirt was long sleeved however, and even had places where he could slip his fingers through for added warmth and protection. The high belt was a bit getting used to, but it felt nice having some protection over his middle. The pants were loose on him, but were snug at the waist, so Techie guessed that it must be the style that they were made in and not necessarily because they weren’t made for his type of build. The pants legs were a few inches too long, but his normal grey technician boots shouldn’t have a problem slipping over them. The long socks were soft and Techie briefly snorted at the fact that both were a bit big on him.

____

Whoever Ferris was, the man had huge feet.

____

Still the clothes were clean and felt good, so Techie wasn’t complaining. 

____

He looked himself in the mirror and though Techie wasn’t one for fashion or anything like that, he did like what he saw. The undershirt was a turtle neck so Techie’s neck was protected somewhat, though Kylo might want to ensure he had a protective collar later on. Otherwise, Techie thought he looked ok. His hair still framed his face, but Kylo hadn’t given him a hair tie, so perhaps it was ok to leave it be for now. In fact, his reflection staring back at him looked like a completely different person, if Techie was honest with himself. 

____

The frame was still the same, as were the eyes and the hair, but the way he stood was different. The clothes helped accentuate his features, though Techie knew he was still too pale. The overall look wasn’t bad, however. It almost made him feel proud enough to stand tall without slouching for once.

____

Suddenly feeling a bit awkward staring at his reflection like that, Techie opened the door and stepped outside the refresher. As he came to stand in front of Kylo, he waited with baited breath, not sure if he was nervous or just simply curious to see what the knight thought. 

____

Kylo looked Techie up and down for a brief moment, knowing how vulnerable his new Apprentice was feeling. With a small smirk on his face, Kylo murmured, “If you straighten your back a bit more, Techie, then I might think that someone has hidden the real Techie somewhere and is trying to replace him.”

____

Techie instinctively straightened his back and felt a flood of relief and contentment wash over him. He still chewed on his lower lip, not being able to quash all of his nerves. “So you are pleased?”

____

Kylo nodded slowly. “Yes, and once you get into the custom made uniform clothing I will be ordering for you, then you will definitely look up to par with any other Apprentice the Knights of Ren has ever been graced to teach.”

____

Techie flushed a bit but shyly smiled at the praise, flashing freshly brushed white teeth. Kylo then turned and made way for the door, before he did something he shouldn’t – like take Techie up against the wall and have his mad way with him. Pausing to take up and don his helmet, Kylo said through the modulator, “Follow me, and if anyone we pass dares to look at you, look pissed off. The Knights of Ren bow to very select few.”

____

“Will do, Master,” Techie murmured, tugging on his technician boots and giving Millicent’s ears a rub before he took a deep breath, schooled his features and followed his new Master out of Hux’s rooms.

____


	4. The Ren Corridor and Stress on the Bridge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I felt like posting some more, here is another chapter for you all :) Thank you again for all of your comments/kudos/hits. They keep inspiring me to post more and write more. There aren't any trigger warnings for this chapter, from what I can tell. Also finally figured out how to put gifs into the story on AO3 so there are some below. Just visualize Techie in his Apprentice clothing instead of the yellow long sleeved shirt he had on in Dredd and you'll be fine. If they get too distracting, let me know and will remove them. Otherwise enjoy the chapter!

[](https://imgur.com/6NzHJMb)

### Chapter 4: The Ren Corridor and Stress on the Bridge

Though Techie wasn’t used to looking angry when he really wasn’t, he did his best impression of Hux when the General looked irritated. He hadn’t seen Kylo mask-less while angry, but he did remember how the man stalked about when he was frustrated, so Techie also tried to model that as well. Apparently it worked, or at least people seeing his Master and himself walking down the halls went the other way or saluted so hard that Techie briefly wondered if their temples hurt afterward. 

He did feel curious eyes on his person after passing some Stormtroopers and officers, but otherwise everyone left him and his Master alone. Once they got to the Ren Corridor, Techie’s eyes whirred around in interest, taking in the circular shape of the main common area that was surrounded by doors leading to various knight quarters on both round sides. In the far back of the circle there was an open space that could be used for meditation, lounging or just be used as an observation area, high paned windows gracing the back wall. To the left of the entrance to the corridor was a hallway that lead towards a spacious kitchen and dining area. On the right side near the entrance was another hallway, this time leading down a flight of winding stairs to an extremely large open training area with a high atrium of transparisteel windows.

In fact, when Kylo showed him this area, Techie could see that the observation area on the floor above them was overlooking the biggest portion of the room. The new Apprentice could almost see his Master observing from up there, but then he snapped his attention back to Kylo as he continued the tour. Techie followed him back upstairs and noticed something he hadn’t before. Once getting to the main floor, Techie noted that the knight quarters were two levels, and though he could see plenty of walking space on the upper decks of the quarters on either side of the sphere, he didn’t see any way to actually get up to those areas. There were no stairs, nor railings. Apparently the knights that resided up there used the Force to get up there.

“Not really. Sometimes they do, but for the most part, they are physically fit enough to jump up and down from there,” Kylo corrected Techie, smiling behind his mask when the other man flushed slightly.

Techie seemed to have forgotten during the tour that his thoughts were an open book to Kylo now. 

“Will I eventually get that fit?” Techie asked softly, awe flooding over his features. The height of the top floor of the quarters seemed pretty high above him - twenty feet at least, if not more.

“Yes,” Kylo nodded. “It will be difficult and exhausting at first, but the training will serve you well once you have mastered it.”

Techie followed the knight down the hallway towards the kitchen and dining area, and passing the area to the left of the kitchens, Kylo headed up several flights of winding stairs. Techie raised an eyebrow at a long lone ceiling to floor pole next to the stairwell, wondering what it was for. Kylo snorted and said softly into Techie’s mind, _You’ll see_.

The top of the stairs opened up to a large cylindrical platform overlook high above the kitchen, with windows overlooking the dining area, and below that, part of the training atrium on the right and the vast expanse of outside space to the left. Away from the atrium and overlook the platform turned into a common area with four doors leading to quarters surrounding it. Kylo nodded to all four, saying, “The rooms to the left are for Knight Xiana Ren and her Apprentice Ferris Ren. She is my second and only answers to myself and the Supreme Leader. Her Apprentice is formidable, and highly skilled, so until you are well into your training, I suggest you steer clear of him should he ever be visiting with his Master.”

When Techie nodded, Kylo went on, “The furthest room on our right is mine, and the one closest to you is yours until you become a knight. Once you become a knight, you may choose to have a different unoccupied set of quarters. Until then, these rooms will be your home on the Finalizer. As of right now, only I and yourself have access to these rooms. Later on, if you wish it, you may add Hux to that list.”

Techie swallowed heavily, and after a long moment he went inside the door to his new quarters, Kylo following him but not too closely. The knight could sense that this was a big moment for Techie, one who had used to be a slave and not have anything he owned. Once the ginger had been given his technician’s room and small refresher on the Finalizer, it had nearly broke Techie apart to have something to call his own. And now, he had his own personal apartment.

Sensing that the other man might need some time to explore and take a few minutes to come to terms with all this, Kylo mentioned softly, “While you are settling in, I will go ahead and add you to the access list on my rooms. That way, you can come to me at any time, should you need help or have questions, or generally would like to visit me.”

Techie smiled slightly at that last comment, but then sobered and whispered, “Thank you, Kylo. This really means a lot to me.”

“I am sure it does,” Kylo said before he turned and left the ginger to his own devices. 

Trembling hands reached out to touch a long black couch – not unlike General Hux’s, and Techie let out an emotionally charged breath. He squeezed the leather under his hands, taking a moment to gather the turmoil of his thoughts and emotions. After a few deep breaths, Techie released the leather of the couch and took a long look around.

The main room was smaller than Hux’s but it was still pretty spacious, being circular. The circular theme must be a Knight of Ren thing, or maybe it was a Kylo thing, he wasn’t really sure. Techie didn’t mind the spherical room. It added a bit of flare, considering the walls were black and bare. Long floor to ceiling light beams that graced the walls were strategically placed around the room to give the place a bit of a technical but cozy atmosphere. Techie found he liked the look of it. 

Besides the couch, there was a chair, end table to the left of the doorway and there was a large floor to ceiling cabinet on the other side of the room. There were two doors next to the cabinet – one leading to a moderate sized refresher, and the other leading to a nice sized bedroom. There was only one tall window in the main room on the other side of the cabinet. Otherwise the only light inside his quarters were from artificial lighting. 

The bedroom had basic black bedding, though the bed itself was big enough to fit two, possibly three people on it. That made Techie smile, relieved that he wouldn’t have to worry about folding his legs in order to keep his full lanky frame on the mattress. The prior quarters he had before were cramped and the regulation bed was way too small for his long legs, but Techie hadn’t minded it. Now, though, he was happy to have the extra space. There was a moderate sized closet on the other side of the bed, and a skinny nightstand on the side closest to the door. 

Coming back out of his new bedroom, Techie noticed that his things had been put in a basket near the entry of the main room. Though a bit of a pitiful and not welcome sight to see, Techie still felt a bit better that some pieces of his life as a technician were still considered his. Heading into the refresher, Techie smiled when he noted that there were some bath products that Hux used in the shower and some other things on the vanity. His clothes he had worn the day before had been washed and dried, and were neatly folded up on the vanity as well. It didn’t take many guesses to figure out who had orchestrated his move.

Kylo might have been the one to suggest it, but Hux had been the one to make it happen. 

Despite Techie unintentionally being the one to stop assassination attempts the day before, Kylo and Hux were taking this all very seriously. Techie felt like it was too much, especially now. They were caring too much for someone like him so fast, and if Techie hadn’t been enjoying this so much, he would have tried to protest. Kylo and Hux were ones that got their way regardless, so maybe Techie should just go with the flow and not think too much about it.

Trying hard and failing not to feel mixed emotions about all of this, Techie tried to think of other things. Like his training – kriff, he was going to possibly turn into a weapon for the First Order, and – his stomach growled, _food_. Yes, food would be good. Techie snorted, managing to get his emotions under control. He was glad that Kylo had given him some space, but now he was ravenous. 

Heading outside of his quarters and feeling thankful that only Kylo could enter without permission into them, he shuffled over towards his Master’s quarters. Noting that the knight was helmetless and finishing up tapping a few keys on the security system next to his door, Techie came to a standstill, absently fingering the edges of his sleeves. 

Kylo nodded to him, “Come, Techie. I think it’s past time to get some sustenance.”

Techie wordlessly followed his Master back towards the stairs. However, once there, Kylo motioned for him to stop. With a small boyish smirk, Kylo said, “You wanted to know what this pole is for?” He motioned to the pole next to the stairs. 

Techie nodded, curious. Kylo waggled his eyebrows with a bigger smirk on his face, making him look almost like a giddy teenager showing off. And then he jumped off of the edge of the platform near the stairs, grabbing onto the pole and sliding all the way down it in a slow spinning motion before his feet hit the ground next to the kitchen with a soft thud.

Techie’s eyes widened in amazement. That actually looked fun. Seeing his Master look like that - like an adorable kid showing off a new toy, it made Techie shake off his melancholy thoughts for the moment. Kylo caught his gaze from down below, and motioned him to go ahead and try it. Being one who was forced to live in a really high sky scraper for a good portion of his life, Techie didn’t mind heights at all. He was a bit nervous about jumping, thinking that he might overshoot the pole and end up falling to his death, but otherwise didn’t have a problem with how high it was from the floor below.

Still, his Master patiently waited, and Techie chewed on his lower lip, really wanting to try it. Finally finding a bit of nerve inside of him, Techie jumped with a muffled yelp, managing to grab onto the pole and slide down it without hurting himself in the process. His hands felt a little warm after the quick descent, but his feet had touched down easily on the floor below him, his knees only buckling slightly. 

Breathlessly, Techie grinned at Kylo, who had stepped back away from the pole once he saw the other man was on the way down. He had stayed just close enough to help his Apprentice out just in case he let go of the pole completely or hit the ground unbalanced. “I want to do that again,” Techie said, beaming, bionic eyes blown wide.

“You are welcome to do so whenever you wish if we are not otherwise occupied.” Kylo nodded to the stairs, “It’s a good workout for the legs going up those stairs. And no, I won’t teach you levitation until much later.”

Techie pouted slightly, thinking of having to go up those stairs every single time he wanted to use that pole. But, then he shrugged. “Stairs aren’t much of a challenge if you’ve lived in a five hundred story building when the power was out.”

“I’ll remember you said that,” Kylo teased, before he nodded to a slightly hidden panel on the wall nearest to the pole. “In any case, that control panel extends a bit of the ride if you were going to the training room below. It open’s the floor below us and the pole is extended all the way down there, saving you some time. It also will help you should you feel not particularly social and not want to deal with the other Knights or their Apprentices if they are visiting.”

“Good to know,” Techie nodded, looking over at the control panel. There were two switches. After reading the labels, the former technician asked, “What’s the switch on the right for?”

“It reveals a door to another shortcut. Often times I am called at a moment’s notice and am expected to arrive at a destination as soon as possible. That door allows me to leave the corridor completely using a small passageway behind the kitchen and leads to a fork. If I go right, I am lead directly to the bridge. If I go left, it leads directly to the main docking bay. And if I just go straight, I am lead to the Supreme Leader’s antechamber. It cuts off at least a good ten minutes or more of the journey, depending on where I am headed towards,” Kylo explained, and then said as an afterthought, “All knights and their Apprentices are allowed to use this passageway, so you may use it if you are pressed for time or for any other reason.”

Techie filed all that information into the back of his head just in case he needed to make use of the shortcuts. “Thank you.”

Following Kylo into the kitchen, Techie’s eyes whirred in shock at the size of it, hadn’t really paying attention to it when passing beforehand. It was pretty spacious and fully stocked with all kinds of food. Apparently, Kylo and his knights were treated like kings and queens when it came to foodstuffs. Feeling his stomach rumble, he looked at some of the instant food packets with interest. There were a bunch of frozen foods and vegetables, and since the Finalizer had just stocked up on supplies less than a few weeks before hand, there was even fresh cheeses and bread. 

Techie’s mouth watered, but he really didn’t know what to pick out to eat. He noticed Kylo was grabbing some sort of meat and root vegetable packet and he decided to try that. From what he had gained from Kylo’s thoughts and some hints at memories, Techie had already known that the man had a very picky but nutritious palette. While waiting for Kylo to get finished warming up his packet, Techie read the instructions on the back of his own packet, wanting to make sure he cooked it correctly.

Instant food packets weren’t something he’d had the luxury in having before. Stormtroopers, lower ranked officers and personnel alike shared the same mess hall and ate the same food. There was little variety in the food offered on the Finalizer, though the food was at least healthy and nutritious, if not extremely bland. That’s one of the reasons why Techie preferred nutrition bars from the commissary or vegetables from oddball trips to the mess hall after hours. Meat tended to make his stomach ache, though he loved eating it if the cooks accidentally put too much seasoning on it. 

With a soft sigh, Techie figured one small stomach ache would be a small price to pay for good food. Perhaps this premium type of food would be gentler on his stomach. After sitting down in one of the circle tables in the dining area, Techie sipped some water as he looked over his Master. The food smelled incredibly good and it was hard for Techie to allow his packet to cool down before he started digging in. Kylo had grabbed some sort of blue looking smoothie, which smelled a bit like the dried cherries people used to put into their cocktails from one of the bars in the Peach Trees complex. Techie watched him sip the drink, noting that it tinged his Master’s lips slightly blue.

Finally, not able to wait any longer, Techie tentatively forked out a piece of root vegetable and nibbled at it. He sighed in relief and pleasure. This food was incredible. Thoroughly devouring the rest of the vegetable and making quick work of the rest of his packet, Techie noted that his Master was watching him eat. Licking sauce off of his fingers, Techie flushed and mumbled, “It’s really good.”

“Yes, it is,” Kylo nodded with a small playful smirk, though he let it go. Force willing, he’d have many other times to tease his Apprentice. 

“I trust you find your rooms comfortable?” Kylo asked, though he already knew the answer. 

“Yes, Master. They are more than I could _ever_ ….” Techie swallowed and finished with, “Thank you. And please tell General Hux thank you as well.”

“Remember Techie, you are connected to him as well as myself. You are able to tell him that yourself,” Kylo gently reminded the ginger, and was rewarded when Techie flushed a bit. 

“Has he been listening in this whole time?” Techie asked, chewing on his bottom lip.

“Close your eyes, Techie, and feel his presence. Hux isn’t one to listen to every detail, for he is a busy man, but I have felt him checking in every so often.” Kylo wasn’t sure how the General knew how to do that, but perhaps it was due to Hux’s _dhampyre_ nature and it was just instinctual. It was a good skill to have if one didn’t know how to block out other members of a Force bond.

Techie did as he was told, at first just feeling the presence of Kylo in his mind and his thoughts. But then he felt something different. It wasn’t a bad feeling, just different. Kylo felt like a warm, almost borderline hot coiled presence in his mind, but this one felt cooler, almost like tendrils of acid snow they used to get back in Mega City 1 – just without the acid. It felt pleasant, and when he instinctively rubbed against a thread, he suddenly felt Hux’s awareness there.

“Holy shit,” Techie gasped, causing Kylo to smile.

“Feels amazing, doesn’t it?” Kylo asked, carefully watching his Apprentice attempt to touch Hux’s Force bond threads. 

“Yes, it’s like he’s wrapped around my head, like one big ball of snow covered wires,” Techie tried to describe, opening his eyes to look at Kylo in awe, his lower lip trembling slightly.

“That’s an apt description.” Kylo smirked, before he instructed softly, “Focus on your feelings, and when you reach out with the Force again to touch him, try to talk to him.”

Techie closed his eyes and tried again, this time feeling intense pleasure as he touched Hux’s mental threads. 

_What is it, Techie?_ Hux’s voice came filtering through, though it wasn’t being snide, just genuinely curious. _Is Kylo starting your training already?_

 _No, well, I don’t think so,_ Techie said, trying to remember how he instinctively knew how to talk to Kylo. Finally figuring he knew he wasn’t shouting or accidentally projecting too much, he went on, _I just thanked him for my quarters and wanted to thank you as well, and he told me how to tell you this way._

 _Very good. I am glad you like them,_ Hux said, sounding and feeling pleased.

 _Techie feels like we are spoiling him too much,_ Kylo joined the conversation then, adding, _He believes he is not worthy of such attention._

 _Does he? Nonsense,_ Hux replied, sounding incredulous. _Techie, if it makes you feel any better, we have good reason to pamper you. You saved our lives. And regardless if it was unintentional, that definitely sets you in our high regard. But, there is also the fact that you could prove to be a valuable investment for the First Order and the Knights of Ren. All we wish is to see you flourish._

 _But, I feel like I owe you enough already,_ Techie protested, though he knew it was fruitless.

Hux mentally snorted, and then pointed out, _You are an investment, Techie. So, yes it may seem like we spoil you or treat you like you are on a pedestal, but really it’s only to reel you in to our proverbial clutches. Hux deadpanned, We want to make sure you are happy and content in your position before we throw you off into the deepest pit of hell in which Ren calls ‘training’. Honestly, Techie, don’t count all of your star destroyers before they are built._

 _Training isn’t hell. It’s training,_ Kylo argued. _And necessary._

 _No, you are right. It won’t be hell, it’ll be worse with you being our teacher. I am thankful I only have to train with you some of the time, not all of the time,_ Hux bantered with a smirk. Then he told Techie, _So, in reality, we aren’t really spoiling you, Techie._

 _Definitely not spoiling you,_ Kylo affirmed dryly.

Then Hux sobered by questing, _You’re up for the challenge, am I right, Techie? I would hate for an investment to turn out disappointing. You’ll work hard and excel beautifully for us, won’t you?_

Techie laughed softly in spite of himself. But then he sobered and mumbled, _I’ll do my best._

_That’s all we’ll ever demand – no ask of you,_ Kylo said, giving in to the bait to tease his Apprentice, feeling as though the other man was breathing more at ease.

The more they tested the tri-way bond of theirs, the stronger it would become. Kylo refrained from pondering on that fact, knowing that if the Force willed it, then the three of them would deal accordingly. And, once Kylo taught them how to block most of the bond – he wasn’t sure if it would be a good idea to block everything – then the three of them could go about their business without many distractions. 

He was still wondering if he should discuss this with the Supreme Leader. Snoke of course needed to know about Techie being Kylo’s new Apprentice. But, as for the bond that they shared with the General - that might bring up too many questions that Hux might not want to give answers to. Hux was already risking his career on not taking his suppressant. No need for him to be put into more duress should the Supreme Leader want to test their fragile bond. 

No, it would be best if the Supreme Leader was in the dark about Hux. Kylo would have to block off the bond himself the next time he spoke with the Supreme Leader to keep both Hux and Techie safe. It didn’t really matter if he showed the Supreme Leader his Apprentice’s bond with Techie, for that was rare, but not unexpected an occurrence. But, if he blocked out Hux, he would need to block out Techie for the most part as well. 

It would hurt and feel a bit frightening for Techie, especially since their bond was still growing and the trust between Master and Apprentice was so new. Hux would be able to handle the uncomfortable blocking, but Kylo just hoped that Techie would be ok. His Apprentice had already been through too much in his young life. He’d been subject to too much pain and suffering.

 _I’m sure I’ll be ok, Master,_ Techie said softly.

 _We’ll cross that bridge when we must,_ Hux added.

Kylo sighed and mentally nodded, _Yes we will._

\---------------------------------------

Hux was standing on a large platform on the bridge overlooking the massive expanse of space through large windows, and occasionally glimpsing the curve of Jakku as the Finalizer continued to hover far enough away from the planet’s gravitational pull. Feet placed slightly apart, with his gloved hands clasped behind his back, the General continued to speak mentally with Techie and Kylo for another moment or two before the knight drew his Apprentice away. 

Techie’s mind was quite different from Kylo’s. It had been a strange feeling to be mentally touched like that by the both of them, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad one. Kylo’s mind was smoother, more refined, and warm. Techie’s had felt electric, almost like static, but not annoyingly so. Techie’s mind flit this way and that, but Hux figured that once Kylo had trained him up a bit, then the former technician would have more focus and control. Or, that could very well just be the way Techie’s mind was. 

Despite all that, Hux hadn’t minded the mental correspondence. Though Hux was always busy, and sometimes exhaustingly so, there were times when there was not really anything occupying his attention besides staring out at the sea of stars in front of the bridge. So, at times like these, Hux would normally reflect on possible plans and actions for certain battle scenarios to pass the time. It was one of the reasons why he was such a formidable asset in the First Order.

Hux always had plans. Even his backup plans had plans. 

Now, though, he felt he had rather enjoyed the little distraction. And it hadn’t taken up too much time, either. Kylo seemed to be on his own schedule, and Hux knew that the Force user was like a beast nosing fresh meat whenever he set his mind on some goal or task in front of him. So, it wouldn’t be surprising that once Techie was settled and fed, that Kylo would be either joining him on the bridge for a report on the droid, or he would be heading to his Upsilon-Class Command Shuttle to head down to Jakku without it. 

Reaching out and touching Kylo’s thoughts slightly, he noted that the man still hadn’t decided yet what he would do. Currently he was eating some sort of meat and vegetable dish with Techie. It was rather a domestic action and was ironic to think that the usually masked Force user actually ate like a normal human being. 

It was something Hux was going to have to get used to.

Hux pulled his thoughts away from Kylo a few moments later when Mitaka received a message from Phasma. “Sir, Stormtrooper FN-2187 has managed to escape the trap Captain Phasma had set for him! He had help, it seems.”

Hux scowled and stalked over to the Lieutenant, barking out, “What happened?”

“Captain Phasma says that FN-2187 met up with a scavenger girl on the way to Nima Outpost. They were quick to spot the ambush awaiting them, and they managed to steal a Corellian YT Model Freighter,” Mitaka explained.

 _Pfassk, Ren and the Supreme Leader both are going to have my head for this,_ Hux thought, hissing softly in frustration. Still, ever one to have a cool and level head when it came to circumstances like these, few as they were, Hux asked, “And any news of the droid?”

“Yes sir, Captain Phasma says that the droid was spotted in the company of the scavenger and traitor.” Mitaka, by this time, looked incredibly nervous.

And it was no wonder. If Hux had been Kylo, the poor man probably would have been Force choked. Hux grit his teeth and tried to keep his anger under control. His inner beast was wanting to come to the surface and he ruthlessly shoved it back down. Taking a calming breath, Hux asked curtly, “Where is the Freighter now? And what of the Resistance pilot?”

“Captain Phasma says that it managed to get away from some of the TIE fighters and engaged hyperspace while still in the planet’s atmosphere.” Mitaka really was starting to fidget. Then he added, “The Resistance pilot’s trail has turned up nothing. It’s like he has disappeared in thin air, sir.”

Hux growled softly and clenched his fists at his sides. Kylo wasn’t going to let him live this one down for sure, if he even survived the Supreme Leader’s displeasure. Taking deep breaths, Hux finally turned to Mitaka, who was starting to sweat, his heart beating faster than laser canon fire. The General calmed himself and muttered in exasperation, “Is there any useful or good news, at all?”

Mitaka swallowed heavily and said, “We only lost three Stormtroopers in the skirmish?”

The General rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration as he tried to think of a way to salvage this situation. Finally, he ordered, “At least tell me that the Captain has found out what the tracking numbers are for this type of Corellian Freighter FN-2187 managed to escape in.”

“She’s contacting the local populace at the Nima Outpost now to find out,” Mitaka said.

“Very well. Tell her to pull out her squadron and return back to the Finalizer once she has finished conducting her interviews.” Hux let out a deep sigh. 

“Yes, sir,” Mitaka breathed out in relief as Hux excused himself to go deliver the bad news to the Supreme Leader.

He could practically feel Kylo seething with rage, but for once he felt no blame or anger directed at him. It was a strange feeling, to be sure. Soon, however, Kylo slammed his mental walls shut on their bond connection so hard it caused Hux to stumble in one of the hallways leading to the Supreme Leader’s antechamber. Gritting his teeth against the pain and sudden feel of aching loss, Hux straightened and pulled himself together. Now was not the time to let panic set in.

Steeling himself by making sure his own mental walls were secure enough to fend off any mental attack, he gently sent some reassurance to Techie, who seemed to be worried, but otherwise ok. Kylo met him at the antechamber’s entrance a few minutes later, his helmet on, and in full specter attire, complete with outer robes, collar and cowl. Hux couldn’t sense much from the man besides rage. Fiery, untamable rage. The feeling of normalcy should have come to Hux then, and it did, but with it came despair. 

Their relationship had turned for the better the night before, but sudden doubts were rising within the _dhampyre’_ s psyche, making him want to actually be the one to smash something to bits. He knew Kylo wasn’t mad at him. Hell, he didn’t understand why that was the case – for it was his fault for relying perhaps too much on his troops, but that was only a small comfort. Regardless of not being mad at him for what had happened just now, Kylo still could use his failure to his advantage, should he wish to do so. 

So, he was shocked and pleasantly surprised when Kylo said softly, “Calm down. It’s not the end of the universe. There is still time to find the droid and apprehend it before it gets to the Resistance.”

“Was I that obvious?” Hux asked softly, taking a moment to take in a few calming breaths.

“No, but your eyes kept flickering,” Kylo admitted.

“Kriff.” Hux rubbed his eyes a bit and took another few breaths to get his feelings under control. 

The next time he met the dark knight’s gaze, his eyes were stone cold blue hazel. Giving Hux a small nod in approval, Kylo opened the door and the two entered the antechamber. 

\----------------------------------------------------

Techie was alone in his room, reading over a few First Order technical manuals from his small pile of things. He’d already read these, and though he probably would never be a technician again, it was still good to review them for reference. It also gave him a welcome distraction not to think about what might be happening with his Master and Hux’s impromptu meeting with the Supreme Leader. 

It was strange that in less than twenty four hours, he had become so used to the comforting warmth of his Master being in his mind. Now, it was barely a thread of heat where the bond was still tied in his mind. The Force blocking had been swift and almost cruel, though Techie knew why Kylo had done it so drastically. They had just finished eating, when it had happened. His Master had been unable to keep his rage in check at first, so naturally the Force sensitive had closed off the bond as soon as possible so that he wouldn’t scare the other two members of their triad. Kylo had left abruptly then, heading up the stairs into his quarters to grab his robes, helmet, collar and cowl. 

While he was in there, Techie could hear him all the way from the dining area, shouting and cursing, things breaking behind a closed door. If it weren’t for the fact that Techie had a healthy sense of self preservation, he would have wanted to go up and comfort his Master. The rage had been so violent and uncontrollable, that Techie had briefly wondered how someone who dealt with that sort of mental chaos could ever train him.

But, then Techie had felt bad. He had seen glimpses into Kylo’s past, despite not really wanting to. He knew sort of what Kylo was going through, and that the rage and pain his Master felt would destroy him if he didn’t give them some sort of an outlet. The Dark Side of the Force served Kylo well in that regard, if it didn’t serve anyone else on board very well. And the fact that Kylo had went into his room before he ripped something apart made Techie feel for him.

His Master cared about him, and was trying very hard to make this Master / Apprentice thing work. 

Plus, it wasn’t Kylo’s fault that his mind and soul were being torn into pieces by both sides of the Force within him. So, Techie had felt compassion, but not pity. 

And, some small part inside of Techie actually kind of liked Kylo’s rage. The pain, not so much, but the rage…that rage when used in a different setting could be incredibly hot and arousing. 

So, Techie was determined to give Kylo a chance. Hell, it wasn’t like he were one to judge, managing to kill a whole slew of people unintentionally just because he’d been scared half to death. Plus, though he hadn’t wanted to, he had helped killed hundreds of innocents under Ma-Ma’s orders back at Peach Trees. 

Pulling his mind away from that dark road, Techie figured Kylo definitely wasn’t as dangerous as some people he’d encountered. At least with Kylo, Techie knew where he stood. Kylo had also promised that he’d never lie, and Techie had believed him, had seen the truth in that statement. Strange Force bond connection or no, Techie was better off with Kylo as his Master.

At least Kylo understood him, and was trying his hardest, even though they hadn’t even started formal training yet.

Kylo had stormed out of his rooms and had barely said two words to Techie on his way out of the corridor, just a grunt of ‘stay here’, as if the ginger had anywhere else to go.

So, Techie was now amusing himself by rereading the thick computer manuals, trying to keep from reaching out to Hux, knowing that the man needed all the concentration he could get when it came to dealing with his boss. Both Kylo and Techie had felt Hux’s emotions turn haywire and had heard his thoughts as he scrambled to make the best of a bad situation while the General had been on the bridge. 

The droid they were looking for was gone, along with the traitorous Stormtrooper and Resistance pilot. 

The swirl of emotions Techie had felt from Kylo before he’d shut him out combined with the anxiety, frustration and fury coming from Hux, had made the Apprentice have a bloodthirsty and callous thought. He almost wished that the Stormtrooper, his companions – droid and human, and the Resistance pilot died horrible and painful deaths for causing his Masters such headaches.

 _Masters_ …..Techie blinked. Why had he thought that?

He was just barely getting used to referring to Kylo as his Master, and now his brain wanted to mix things up and have him refer to both Hux and Kylo as his Masters? Pondering that thought for a long moment, Techie chewed on his lower lip, his eyebrows furrowing. Rubbing his tired forehead and feeling a headache coming on, Techie sighed deeply, feeling a bit lost. 

\---------------------------------------------------

“The droid will soon be delivered to the Resistance, leading them to the last Jedi.” Supreme Leader Snoke was displeased, and it wasn’t hard as to guess why. Hux and Kylo stood in front of the giant holo, making sure not to interrupt with lame excuses or reasons as to why things happened the way they had. Snoke’s voice was deep and gravelly, and Hux couldn’t help tensing up a bit, almost expecting himself to be struck down by Force lightning or something to that nature. 

Kylo was relaxed, though Hux could tell by the man’s clenching of his fists that the knight was a bit nervous, too, though probably not as much as the General. Kylo hadn’t failed.

Hux had. And as always when dealing with any sort of failure, he would have to face the music. At least this time, he wouldn’t be alone. He had tried to push Techie as far away from his thoughts as possible, and though the Force bond was still burning brightly in the back of his mind, the other ginger was wisely keeping quiet and to himself for the most part. Kylo’s mental shields were still solid and sharp, but at least now Hux knew that the Force user wouldn’t gloat in his failure unlike he had in the past.

After three long years of adversarial working with the man, one night was all it took to change things.

The Supreme Leader continued, “If Skywalker returns, the new Jedi will rise.”

“Supreme Leader, I take full responsibility for-” Hux was broken off by Snoke growling out, “General!”

Properly chastised by that one word, Hux closed his mouth so hard his teeth clacked together. 

Snoke narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at Hux, and said, “Mistakes do happen, General. Regrettably, you are not perfect, nor is anyone else. Be sure that your failure becomes a lesson, and that it does not become a habit.”

“Yes, Supreme Leader,” Hux breathed, though he didn’t relax for one second. The Supreme Leader had done this sort of thing before, letting him get comfortable in thinking that he was off the hook, and then proving maliciously just how spliced he was actually on said hook.

He was proven right when Snoke said, “You expect punishment, I am sure, perhaps you even crave it. I have seen it in your mind on more than one occasion. Quite the masochist, are you not?”

Hux clenched his teeth and forced himself to reply, “Yes, Supreme Leader.” _Just get it over with, you monstrous, overzealous, malevolent Danchaf bastard,_ Hux thought, deep in the recesses of his mind.

Briefly he felt amusement filtering in from Techie and then it was gone. Hux licked his lips to hide his answering twitch of the lips, snapping his attention back to the Supreme Leader.

Snoke nodded, musing softly, “The punishment will need to be brief, however.” Turning to his Apprentice, the Supreme Leader said, “Lord Kylo Ren, my Apprentice, you shall be the one to carry it out, as you see fit. Whatever you wish to do to the General, I will leave it up to you. I only request that he remains intact for the most part – mentally and physically, and that he will be able to take up his normal duties as General tomorrow morning.”

“Yes, Master,” Kylo said, barely managing to keep the surprise out of his voice.

Hux blinked slowly and quickly recovered his shock as the Supreme Leader turned to him. “You will submit to Lord Ren’s punishment without protest, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Supreme Leader.” Hux licked his lips and forced himself to look unaffected, though inside, his heart was racing at all the implications. 

This had never happened before. Usually when the Supreme Leader wished to punish him, he did it himself while Kylo watched, and normally it was a mental raping or slamming him to the floor. Every once in a while there was a bit of torture, but nothing like this. The fact that the Supreme Leader was practically giving Kylo the reins on this one meant only one thing. The Supreme Leader wanted Kylo to humiliate him, possibly in the crudest and cruelest way. 

Too bad for Snoke that the night before had happened. Otherwise Hux would have been mentally panicking. Now, however, because last night DID in fact happen, Hux was practically drooling at the thought of Kylo doing something to him. How in a wampa’s ass crack Techie was going to fit into all this, Hux had no kriffing idea, but he figured he’d best just leave it up to Kylo to decide.

Though leaving anything up to Kylo was somewhat of a scary thought, it was the only thing he could do right now.

“Now that unpleasant matters are settled,” Snoke continued, seeming to be a bit less irritated and more complacent, “We must discuss a possible new strategy in dealing with the Resistance. The weapon - how much longer until it’s completion?”

“Sixty four days,” Hux said, adding, “I have countless personnel working around the clock to get the final tests done.”

“Good.” The Supreme Leader seemed pleased with this news at least. “See to it that you exhaust every effort in finding the droid in the meantime. Once the weapon is ready, we will strike out at the Republic. Those sympathizers to the Resistance have been a thorn in our sides for too long.”

“Yes, Supreme Leader,” Hux said, almost feeling like a bit of a repetitive twit at this point.

“You may go, General.” Snoke waved the General off.

After the General had left the antechamber, Kylo narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at his Master. Snoke peered at his Apprentice for a few minutes, and eventually prodded the young man’s mind. Seeing that the defenses were strong and non-yielding, he nodded slightly. “There’s been an awakening. Have you felt it?”

“Yes, and I have understood it’s significance, Master,” Kylo said forcing himself to not show any outward signs of emotion as he mentioned his new Apprentice. “Last night, I found its source in a technician. I have convinced him to become my Apprentice. With your blessing, I will hone his skills and teach him the way of the darkness.”

The Supreme Leader regarded his Apprentice with interest. Apparently Kylo had surprised him. Not knowing whether or not that was a good thing, Kylo was hasty to add, “He obliterated eleven would be assassins in defense of his person without intending to. I would have contacted you directly but I had to gain his trust first.”

“And you have it?” Snoke asked, looking a bit amused now, as if a lowly technician slaughtering eleven assassins without intending to was humorous to him. Perhaps in a morbid way, it was.

“Yes, I do. Not without difficulty, of course. His mind is chaotic, and his past rules him still. But, I believe he will be a strong asset to our cause once he is trained and conquers his demons.” Kylo continued, “There is another matter….”He filed every single thought and memory of Hux from the past evening up until now back in the deepest recesses of his mind, fortifying the defenses towards those and also protecting Techie. But he did allow his Master to see the Force bond between himself and his new Apprentice. The bond between Hux and himself he put behind other impenetrable walls.

“Interesting. Rare, but not unheard of with the first melding of two minds strong in the Force,” Snoke mused, reaching up to rub his scarred chin. Finally he said, “If what you say about this Apprentice of yours is true, then you have my blessing. Train him as you wish, and your idea to give him some exposure being with General Hux to help with his mental barriers is noteworthy, if strange.”

“In all honesty, I figured the General would get more _flustered_ having to deal with two destructive Force sensitives, not just one,” Kylo said with genuine mirth.

Snoke chuckled at that. “Very well. Keep me updated on your Apprentice’s progress, and bring him to me when you feel he is ready.”

“Of course, Master,” Kylo said softly. 

“Soon, it will also be time for you to complete your training,” Snoke murmured with narrowed eyes. 

“By the grace of your guidance, I will not fail you.” The words flew out of Kylo’s mouth, but in truth, the Force sensitive felt a bit uneasy. Yes, he wanted to complete his training, and he had waited for that moment for a very long time. But, something deep inside of him was chilled by the Supreme Leader’s words. 

“We shall see,” Snoke said before he started to disconnect the holo. “We shall see.” 

\------------------------------------------

“Oh, is this asinine day over and done with, yet?” Hux complained under his breath as he stalked down to the superior officers’ athletic rooms, fully intending on beating the shit out of a punching bag. He was exhausted, but he was also stressed out to the point where he had a nasty migraine. He briefly wondered if he actually had taken his suppressant the night before just how worse his day would have gone. 

Not like it felt like it could get any worse, however.

After the meeting with the Supreme Leader, Hux had gone back to the bridge promptly to finish out his work cycle, thinking that his bad luck was over and done with for the day. How wrong he had been when one of the technicians repairing the turbo lasers (that were rendered useless when the traitor and Resistance pilot had escaped) had sent him a message about discovering the nasty and alarming presence of conduit worms and stone mites feasting away on power cords, damaged turbo parts and the like. 

If there was a list of things that Hux really detested, dealing with space pests would be high on said list.

Most of the vermin had been exterminated efficiently enough, and the remaining buggers would be taken care of shortly, so that had given Hux some reprieve from the stress.

But, then he kept thinking about his upcoming punishment from Kylo. He hadn’t had a chance to talk to Kylo, much less mentally quest out in the past several hours since the Supreme Leader’s meeting. And the Force sensitive still had his mental shields up, signaling that whatever the man was doing, he didn’t want Techie or Hux to know about it. 

Thoughts of Techie drew him back at the task at hand and Hux sighed softly. The other ginger was bored. And worried. Not that Hux blamed him. Kylo had yet to return to the Ren Corridor, and it was getting towards dinner time on the ship. Hux had sent out comforting mental touches to the lonely Apprentice, but there wasn’t much he could do to alleviate Techie’s apprehension.

It was rather sad and ironic to think that both of their worries hung at the mercy of one Lord Kylo Ren. 

Tugging off his General’s clothing and changing into his workout clothing, Hux again pondered at what the knight had in store for him tonight. He knew that it would be smart of Kylo to do some form of torture so that he could prove to the Supreme Leader that the General had been punished accordingly. Then again, torture came in several different forms. Some could be downright erotically thrilling and deliciously painful.

Though Hux wasn’t afraid of Kylo or what his punishment might be, he was a bit apprehensive. Until the night before, Kylo and Hux had always been vicious adversaries – even when Hux had turned on the knight and pounced on him a few days before. Hux could very well blame everything on the new Force bond he shared with Kylo and Techie, but somehow he knew there was more to it.

Pulling his thoughts away from thinking too hard with a stellar migraine he was sporting, Hux finished putting his things away in a locker and headed into the dojo. Going through his normal routine of stretching, running in place for a few minutes, and loosening himself up for a good hour, he wasn’t surprised to see Phasma when the captain joined him on the mats.

\----------------------------

Techie whispered, “I don’t like it.”

“I don’t either, but it is necessary, Techie,” Kylo murmured, reaching over to brush some of the long ginger hair away from his Apprentice’s face, his black glove contrasting beautifully on those pale tresses. Techie leaned into his hand, though Kylo could tell he was not used to enjoying any sort of touch. Kylo felt anger rage again when he thought of how much his Apprentice had suffered.

If the perpetrators hadn’t already been deceased, he would have made them suffer before they met their end. 

“It’s better than the alternative,” Kylo added with a soft sigh.

“I know, Master,” Techie admitted, his eyelids falling half-mast at Kylo’s attention. 

Kylo pulled his hand away and leaned in to kiss the man’s forehead, right over the crude slave brand. “It’d take a whole lot more to break a man like Hux. He’ll deal with the situation accordingly, and we will move on.”

With a nod, Techie followed Kylo out of the Ren Corridor, watching his Master don his helmet on the way out. This time it was easy to look frustrated and irritated with life in general. As they passed several officers and Stormtroopers, Techie found it rather easy to drown out their mental voices this time due to worrying about the task ahead of them. Several eyes scanned over him curiously, but otherwise the crew stayed well out of their path. 

\------------------------------------------

Though Captain Phasma had a special dojo down with her men, she did on occasion come up and use the higher officer’s one when she wanted to spar or just keep to herself. Arching a brow at her, Hux asked teasingly, “Wishing to spar tonight, fair Captain?”

The blonde woman snorted and shook her head. “Not tonight. I am just here to observe.”

“Observe what?” Hux asked, his head snapping up when he spotted one masked Kylo Ren and one very irritated looking Techie coming into the dojo.

The knight glowered at the small amount of people in the room, barking out, “Everyone _out_ , except for my Apprentice, the General, and the Captain. The rest of you leave or I will **end** you.”

That comment had people scrambling out of the dojo quick. Once the door had closed behind the last person to leave, Kylo locked it. The Force sensitive took off his mask and slowly tugged off his gloves. He then handed them to Techie, who – not really sure what to do with them, put them on the bench behind him. The ginger’s irritableness faded from his features, only to be replaced by nervousness.

“Well that’s one way to motivate the masses,” Phasma commented dryly. She crossed her arms over her chest and wandered over to Techie, who eyed her a bit warily. She turned to look at Kylo. “Perhaps I should try that method of motivation on some of my men.”

“If they are slacking, you should just kill them,” Kylo said bluntly, but with a small smirk playing on his lips.

Phasma looked like she genuinely was considering it before she shrugged. “No, as much as some would be better off heading out of an air lock at the flaming end of my blaster, the resulting paperwork wouldn’t be worth the hassle.”

Hux swallowed thickly, watching as Kylo walked to the edge of the mat, boots clicking on the hard flooring. The General had seen Kylo come in here a few times, but normally it was just to spar fully garbed – mask and all, with higher ranking officers. Techie still looked worried – perhaps for a different reason now, but also the man looked intensely relieved at the same time. It was then that Hux noticed that Kylo had opened up his bond with Techie, but had left the rigid shield up for the one he shared with the General. 

A lot had happened while he’d been otherwise engaged in the dojo, apparently.

Feeling a bit cheated in that aspect, but also relieved to note that Techie wasn’t suffering anymore, Hux asked with genuine curiosity, “And what, pray tell, do we owe the immense pleasure in receiving your company tonight, gentlemen?”

Kylo then did something utterly unexpected. He pulled out his lightsaber, fingering the hilt gently. The apprehension Hux had been feeling earlier rose to an extreme level at that action, causing the ginger to flex his fists a bit at his sides.

The Captain said softly, “I get to observe and bear witness to your punishment tonight, Hux.” 


	5. Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Techie and Kylo moved towards the door to the dojo and watched as the General picked up his discarded shirt, before the _dhampyre_ headed into the locker room. A full minute passed before the Techie sighed, almost wistfully. “He’s beautiful.”
> 
> “Be careful in thinking that around him or telling him that to his face. You might give him too much of a puffed out chest to fit into his uniform,” Kylo warned, though when he heard Hux’s mental snort he rolled his eyes. “But, yes, he is.”
> 
> “You are beautiful, too,” Techie said, reaching over with an uncharacteristic bold move and tugging his Master flush up against him so he could peck the man on the cheek. Finding a large freckle he’d been eyeing covertly for the past half hour, he kissed it shyly. Flushing slightly, and smirking at Kylo’s sudden look of astonishment, Techie pulled away. Feeling a bit giddy, Techie turned promptly and proceeded to leave the dojo in a mad dash.
> 
> Kylo blinked for one long moment, alone in the dojo, before he absently reached up to touch his cheek in wonder. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Because of @SarcasticSmiler, everyone is getting another chapter :) That cliffie at the end of the last chapter was pretty nasty, wasn't it? So, here is another chapter for you. Please continue to leave comments, kudos, etc, for they help give me courage to write more and give me more inspiration amidst the haters ;) 
> 
> *For those people that have triggers, I am starting to post trigger warnings at the bottom of each chapter - that way those that don't have them won't get spoilers right at the beginning of the chapter. Please go to the bottom of the chapter to read the end notes, otherwise read at your own risk. :)

### Chapter 5: Punishment

“I see,” Hux grunted, understanding now. 

Kylo confirmed his suspicions when he said, “The Supreme Leader wants proof that I have humiliated you and punished you in some way. He knows we both have the ability to doctor what we want him to see in our minds. However, he does not suspect that the Captain knows how to do this as well, and has been doing it for a long time. Therefore, since I know you trust her, and respect her, I felt you would feel less of a burden with her being a witness. She will report to the Supreme Leader directly following our engagement.”

The fact that the Captain was also asexual would also help just in case Kylo decided to punish him in a more delicious way. The Captain might get an eyeful, but she wouldn’t feel disgusted or entranced either way. If anything, she would be looking at technique and useful ideas to use on prisoners, if it came to torture. Really, Kylo had picked out the perfect person for the job as a witness. 

Kylo was slowly gaining more blaster points in Hux’s book.

“He won’t hurt her, will he?” Techie asked softly, speaking of the Supreme Leader. Though he didn’t know the captain on a personal level, he had seen glimpses of memories and thoughts about her from several people, usually not intentionally, and had found she was a fair, if strict leader. She cared about her men and had been furious but devastated at FN-2187’s defection. And she was loyal to Hux. 

That had made Techie respect her, if not really know her. So, he didn’t particularly like the thought of the Supreme Leader possibly hurting her, regardless of the reason. 

Phasma regarded the new Apprentice with interest. She knew she had seen him briefly every now and then when Security Surveillance Technicians needed to be addressed or just in passing. The timid, antisocial man looked entirely different than he had the last time she’d seen him. She noted that cleaned up, with a straightened posture, and in Knight of Ren Apprentice attire, the man looked rather attractive in an appreciative platonic way. His eyelids were still puffy, but better than they had been, and he looked more rested.

Turning her attention back to Hux and Kylo, she stayed near the painfully shy, but not fearful man.

Anyone who was going to be dealing with the likes of Kylo Ren daily and sometimes nightly in a more extensive basis than her deserved her respect. There also was a twinge of compassion in her chest at the look of the former technician. Though she never needed anyone to fight her battles for her, it was rather kind of him to worry about her even if they didn’t know eachother.

Hux noted that Techie was clenching his fists at his sides and the General briefly got distracted by what the Apprentice was now wearing. This had been the first time since early that morning that he’d seen Techie. And he had to admit, the black Apprentice clothing looked incredible on him. 

“No, that is not his intent. It might be uncomfortable, but Phasma has dealt with worse before,” Kylo soothed his Apprentice, turning to look at him softly. “You know why I am having you witness this as well, correct?”

“To make sure you stop if things get out of hand, because Hux has been ordered not to protest,” Techie said with a nod. Then he mentally told Hux, _And he has to keep the bond closed between the two of you so he’s not distracted or lenient. He’s counting on me to sense your pain levels. If it gets too intense, I will need to tell him to back off._

 _Ah, that would explain things. Thank you for that little tidbit, Techie,_ Hux sighed with a nod.

“Correct.” Kylo nodded before he turned back to addressing Hux, “I will need to scar you in some way. Bruises will not be enough.”

So that’s why the lightsaber was out. Joy.

This was going to _hurt_. Hux sighed saying, “Duly noted.” 

Hux never had been afraid of pain. It was a good thing that Phasma already knew what he was, even if she wasn’t aware yet that he’d stopped taking his suppressants. Kylo might have already told her, but Hux couldn’t be sure. 

If he’d been taking his suppressants, then his skin would blister and cauterize painfully like a normal human’s – leaving thick scars that marred his frame for all eternity. However, without his poison, Hux would heal incredibly fast and have less scarring bestowed upon his skin. Scars didn’t bother him too much, but having to deal with annoying itching burns as they healed would have driven the General mad. 

Techie started fidgeting, understanding the significance of what was about to happen. Ma-Ma had branded him against his will in more ways than one years ago. He refrained from reaching up to rub the right side of his neck where the biggest gang slave tattoo was hidden right beneath his turtle neck. There had been times when Techie had wanted the thing off of him, but regardless of if he had it removed or not, Ma-Ma had left deeper mental scars that weren’t as easily treated. 

Techie then had decided to leave the tattoo be, figuring that it had been physical proof that he’d survived his past.

The tattooed “Male” brand on the edge of his hairline on his temple, however, he wanted off. Not that Techie was vain, he was far from it, but he’d hated that brand more than any other on his body. It had debased him, as if he was just a reproductive drone to be used and abused by Ma-Ma and her cohorts. It had been more violating than any other marks of ownership Ma-Ma had given him.

 _It’ll be removed, Techie,_ Kylo’s deepened voice filtered into his mind, drawing his thoughts from the direction they had taken him. His Master went on, _We can start the process tomorrow, even, if you wish._

 _Does it mean I have to go to the med bay?_ Techie asked, though relief flowed through him, knowing that his Master understood. Some of the tension he had been feeling faded away and because of this, his muscles relaxed a bit.

 _No, I can administer the treatment for you. It is a relatively painless procedure,_ Kylo answered, turning his attention back to the other ginger in front of him. 

Glimpsing more into his Master’s thoughts, Techie relaxed even more. The ginger knew why this was being done, and though Hux didn’t have a choice in having a punishment suitable in the eyes of the Supreme Leader, at least Kylo was going to give the other man a choice in its placing.

“Where do you wish to have it done?” Kylo asked the _dhampyre,_ cocking one head to the side in interest.

“It’ll hurt wherever you burn me, but at least my healing will take care of it straight away afterwards,” Hux murmured, sharing a small look with Phasma, who didn’t look surprised.

So, she knew he had stopped taking his suppressants. Kylo must have told her.

He was proven correct when Kylo replied, “I am aware. Phasma told me.”

“There really isn’t a best place, but I sleep on my back, so perhaps it would be preferable to have the burn either somewhere on the front of my chest or on my arms,” Hux mused, as if he were talking about the weather, and not the impending scarification.

Kylo nodded and then said, “Roleplay starts now.”

Techie watched in interest as the General stiffened and became more of the icy, cold person his men usually saw while the man was on duty. Kylo let rage wrap around him like a comforting cloak, his eyes burning with determination and fierceness as he let the ‘game’ begin. It was so different from just a few seconds before – that difference being like day and night. 

“Take off your shirt,” Kylo ordered, engaging his lightsaber, the hilt firmly set in his right fisted grasp.

Narrowing his eyes thoughtfully, Hux honestly wondered if his job was really worth all of this. Then he looked at Kylo’s raw determination and small flicker of anguish in his eyes and sighed. Kylo was worth it and, glancing at Techie’s nervous but intrigued stance, he figured Techie was worth it, too. Doing as he was told, and gritting his teeth the entire time, Hux shucked his shirt over to Phasma, who caught it and set it on the bench behind her. 

Tensing slightly at the idea of possible incalculable pain, Hux noted that there was a bit of thrill flooding through his veins as well. It only intensified as Kylo came to stand in his space, nodding with a small triumphant smirk. “Very good, General Hux. It seems you can follow orders when properly motivated. Perhaps the Supreme Leader was correct in stating you look forward to pain.”

“Save your filthy insinuations for someone who cares, Ren, and get on with it,” Hux spat harshly, easily falling back into the role of irritated adversary. Defiantly he stared into Kylo’s eyes and noted that the knight was now fighting hard not to smile.

Prick.

“Careful, General Hux,” Kylo purred, “that your personal interest not interfere with orders from Leader Snoke.” 

The bastard had just shot his own words back at him, imitating his First Order accent impeccably. If Hux wasn’t secretly enjoying this, he’d feel impressed. Hux’s mouth twitched in spite of himself. Despite the impending pain, Kylo’s playful slip into his old self grounded Hux. With a mock heated scowl marring his handsome features, Hux snarled pointedly, “I am not interfering in any way, shape or form, you presumptuous overgrown man-child. Supreme Leader Snoke said for this to be quick.” 

Techie fought back a snort at that, relaxing even more. It seems the two creatures in front of him knew how to play this game extremely well. Then again, Techie had watched them often enough over the past six months, and not one sparring match was ever boring between the General and Lord Ren. Now, of course things had changed, and Techie knew how, though he was still trying to figure out the whole ‘why’ part. 

Now, Techie was not just a witness; he was also connected to the two former adversaries. 

“Indeed,” Kylo mused, reaching out with his left hand to trace his fingers down Hux’s chest, the lure to touch that soft skin overpowering him. Hux’s skin was just as he thought it would be, soft and firm in places, and incredibly sensitive. Hux’s torso was lean, pale, and smooth, but the surface was dappled with several white whip-like scars. One scar even almost bisected the General’s left nipple. Kylo ached to taste it and more. Forcing himself to stay on task, Kylo added, “Perhaps I can draw it out to make you feel even more humiliated.”

“As if that were possible,” Hux snorted, though his body fired up under Kylo’s touch. Lust warred with self-preservation, and Hux mentally cursed his body’s inopportune response to the knight’s fingers dragging lightly on his sensitive skin. Hux licked his lips, mouth suddenly dry. The lightsaber in Kylo’s other hand crackled and hissed ominously. 

“Keep speaking, and I might have to think of a different way to punish you more,” Kylo whispered, voice dark and seductive, his fingers now dipping to trace the whip like scar underneath Hux’s left pectoral. The area twitched, still sensitive nearly twenty years after it had healed. No, Hux definitely wasn’t a stranger to pain. He never had been. His father’s abuse had seen to that.

Though his body wasn’t weakened by the suppressant anymore, and his scars were fading even more, the deepest ones he would have for the rest of his life. He briefly caught Phasma’s understanding gaze and blinked a few times to control his thoughts. Hux then turned his eyes to meet Kylo’s, allowing the man to continue exploring his chest. For someone who was deemed as a bloodthirsty killer and effective torturer to those who stood in his way, Kylo sure enjoyed touching and being touched.

It all boiled down to trust, Hux mused. For some strange reason, the Force sensitive trusted him enough to enjoy pleasure with him. Kylo enjoyed Hux’s touch, and enjoyed touching Hux and when Techie was ready, if he ever was, the General was sure that trust would encompass the Apprentice as well. 

Kylo finally narrowed his eyes and asked snidely, “Are you ready to accept your due, General?”

“No, but it doesn’t matter how I feel, does it?” Hux snapped, tensing in spite of himself.

“No, it doesn’t,” Kylo said bitingly before he put his palm onto Hux’s sternum and Force slammed the ginger into the wall a few feet behind the General, forcing the male to become spread eagle and unable to move much besides breathe.

Techie winced slightly and mused, _That looked like it hurt._

 _Not as much as the Supreme Leader’s Force face planting, I assure you,_ Hux replied, though he figured he should regret telling Techie that, since the man had barely been Kylo’s Apprentice for a day.

Still, best for the other man to be wary of the Supreme Leader’s wrath, if not be frightened of him. 

Further conversation was drawn to a halt when Kylo started advancing, his eyes flooding to gold. Hux met his gaze with an icy look of his own, refusing to cower in front of the knight. The familiar feeling of the knight’s rage licked Hux’s skin as the man drew near, and though it caused the _dhampyre_ to shiver, Hux wasn’t frightened one bit. The heat of the lightsaber washed over his skin, and for one long moment, Hux felt nothing but heat.

Kylo reached out with his left hand to grip Hux’s throat, just setting his hand there in a loose hold. Hux swallowed heavily and couldn’t suppress an aroused shudder as Kylo ran a thumb down the side of the General’s neck. The caress was distracting on purpose, but nothing could prepare him for the feel of Kylo’s lightsaber slicing into his skin.

Hux screamed until his voice went raw, feeling white hot pain sear his skin right above his heart. Kylo bared his teeth in a furious grimace, using one of the cross guard vents of his lightsaber to mark Hux’s skin. Techie winced in residual sympathy; though Hux was keeping his mind from sharing too much, it still looked and felt awful.

It shouldn’t be so easy to hurt Hux, and Kylo knew that afterwards he’d have to make it up to the other man somehow. It felt so strange that only a few days ago he had wanted to hurt the other man like this, gloating in his pain and humiliation. But now, it made Kylo feel almost sick to his stomach. He tried to tell himself that in doing this, he was protecting Hux against a worse fate. Then, as Hux’s snowy smell teased his senses, Kylo realized that the _dhampyre_ was feeling pleasure along with the pain.

 _Sadistic bastard._ Feeling a bit better about branding Hux like this, and feeling a quickening in his own blood at the thought of the ginger being aroused ran through him. Techie’s thoughts were pressing into his, and though Kylo knew his Apprentice had no idea what he was doing, it was still a small comfort to know the other man was there. The feel of the electrical and static like thoughts helped ground Kylo’s focus.

Kylo forced himself to not be distracted by Techie’s erratic thoughts of worry or the smell of Hux’s arousal and burning flesh. Carefully and meticulously, Kylo carved his initials into Hux’s chest, to the right side of the sternum. Drowning out Hux’s ear shattering wails of pain, Kylo was careful not to dig his lightsaber’s vent too deep. When he was finally finished, he disengaged his lightsaber. Both the knight and the General were practically dripping in sweat.

“Your mine now, Hux,” Kylo whispered, looking at the fiery red branded ‘KR’ now gracing Hux’s skin. Licking his lips, he ordered, “Say it.”

Hux narrowed his eyes at the other man, trying hard and failing not to allow his fangs to lengthen at those provocative words. Lust overshadowed the dull throbbing of his new brand, and his cock hardened in answer. 

“Just say it and your punishment will be finished,” Kylo promised, inching closer to the other man, his face nearly touching the _dhampyre_ ’s.

Feeling like he was damning himself, Hux rasped out, “I’m yours.” His eyes flickered to red, which at this point, Hux really didn’t care. Need and want crashed through him as Kylo finally dropped his mental shields in answer.

Relief poured over Hux, making him moan at the feeling. Who would have thought he’d crave Kylo’s thoughts and feelings through their bond after something like this? Kylo then cupped Hux’s face with his free hand, while the other clipped his lightsaber to his belt. And then their teeth and lips were crashing against the other, Hux being freed of the Force hold.

Hux’s hands trembled slightly as they fisted into Kylo’s hair, desperately seeking any kind of purchase. Kylo slammed Hux up against the wall again, only this time without a Force shove. The Force sensitive’s hands ran up and down Hux’s sides as he devoured Hux’s mouth, taking everything he could get from the other man. Hux moaned and fiercely sucked on Kylo’s tongue, not caring if he was projecting every filthy dirty secret from his mind. Kylo bit his lower lip until it bled in retaliation, causing the ginger to growl heatedly.

Techie watched, enraptured as his Master literally dominated Hux’s lips, feeling heat coil into his groin and other pleasant places. Shivering slightly, Techie wrapped his arms around his middle and pinched a small bit of skin of one arm through his long sleeved undershirt, trying to remind himself that this was real. Hux and Kylo’s thoughts projected madly, and for one brief moment, Techie forgot Phasma was there.

The two former adversaries were broken apart by Hux hissing in a twinge of pain as Kylo’s ribbed tunic rubbed his new brand slightly. Kriff, that was annoying. Still, he could feel his skin knit back together and scab over the raw cauterized wounds. In a few minutes, the brand would only be a scar, and the pain only a memory.

Kylo huffed out a mental _‘sorry’_ as he started licking at Hux’s sore lip. Hux tugged on one of Kylo’s ears, but not enough to hurt, noting that the act made Kylo kriffing keen out a bloodthirsty curse. Apparently, the Force sensitive loved his ears being manhandled. Or anything manhandled. Good to know. Hux filed that juicy tidbit into the back of his mind, absently dotting a few of Kylo’s freckles and moles with quick kisses.

Kylo snorted at the attention and pulled away to start trailing kisses down the ginger’s chin and throat. When he got to Hux’s rapidly healing skin, Kylo started kissing and licking the tender areas, making sure not to do it too hard. Hux hissed slightly, but not so much in pain now. It was more along the lines of him just being oversensitive and aroused.

Hux wrapped his arms around the Force sensitive’s shoulders as he breathed in deeply. 

Hux again decided to tease one of Kylo’s ears, making the other man huff out a mewl of desire in the process, though the knight didn’t let up on his attentions to the General’s new scars. Apparently the term ‘kiss it and make it better’ was all too literal for Kylo.

Giving up on trying to pry the Force sensitive away from the brand, Hux trailed his fingers down the side of Kylo’s face and neck, finding the small pinpricks he had bestowed upon the man the night before. Though Hux wasn’t hungry yet, still feeling full from the feeding last night, he did imagine doing the same to those two pinpricks that Kylo was doing to his chest.

“That shouldn’t be hot, but it is,” Techie’s husky voice broke through the fog around Hux and Kylo’s baser and aroused thoughts. 

Kylo finally pulled away and shared a couple of chuckles of mirth with Hux, the tension in the air dispersing. Hux and Kylo looked over at the Apprentice, noting that Techie was flushed and really trying hard not to bite his lower lip off. Poor thing must be a bit overwhelmed.

Hux reached out mentally to soothe the other man, noting that Kylo had already beat him to the chase. Techie relaxed slightly with a deep breath and released his lower lip, now prettily bruised from the savage attention. 

Phasma rolled her eyes and shrugged. “To each their own.”

“Quite,” Hux said, letting out a gasp as Kylo leaned in to finger the now smooth edges of his brand.

The brand was still incredibly sensitive, but the pain had already faded away. There was no scab anymore, just a slightly raised mark. Kylo turned to Phasma and nodded, “You may be dismissed if you wish.”

“Thank you, sir.” Phasma nodded curtly and let herself out of the dojo, heading to the women’s locker room so she could don her armor. 

When Kylo had come to her after his meeting with the Supreme Leader, she had just finished her report on the defected FN-2187, scavenger girl, and droid escape. It had been tedious work, and regrettably empty when it came to information that the First Order needed. Or specifically, that the knight and Hux needed. She still felt raw over FN-2187’s betrayal, and had exhausted every resource imaginable on Jakku in finding out about the freighter, the girl, and of course the droid. 

Knowing that the General probably took a fall for her and her men’s failure, the Captain had cringed and gritted her teeth over it. The friendship and trust that the two had for one another spanned over two decades now, and so the Captain had taken this failure personally. So, when Lord Ren had come to her, asking her if she would bear witness to Hux’s punishment and why, she hadn’t hesitated in accepting it. Without all of the years of trust and friendship that she valued in Hux, she also respected the man, and hated it when he was brought low by the Supreme Leader.

Such was the price for a person in power, but if Phasma could lessen the General’s torment, then she would do so. 

So, with a bit of trepidation, she began delivering her report holovid style to the Supreme Leader. Snoke was not one to call her into the antechamber, but when he did use communication with her it was normally within holovids or messages. This was no different except for the fact that the Supreme Leader was able to scan her thoughts. Phasma had been prepared for that and had acted accordingly. Her mental shields were formidable, but she never had them up around the Supreme Leader. Instead she usually put all of her important things she didn’t want the Supreme Leader to see in a seemingly smooth surface of her mind, integrating it all in the fabric of her psyche, basically hiding it in plain sight. So, the Supreme Leader never noticed it, more concerned with the forefront of her mind.

Phasma may not be Force sensitive, but when the First Order started forming, both Hux and herself made sure that they were prepared. Though Snoke was harsher on Hux due to his position of power and frequency in meeting with him, he never really put the full brunt of his ire onto Phasma. Part of the reason is she maintained the thought and feelings of absolute loyalty and had no shields up while he was around, making Snoke believe she was not much of an effort to control or to use.

It wasn’t pleasant, and she didn’t like going belly up in front of the creature that led the First Order, but she dealt with it for Hux’s sake, and the sake of her men, if not her own.

\-------------------------------------------

Once Phasma had departed, Techie approached his Master and Hux cautiously. Desire was still flooding his veins along with a sense of curiosity. When he reached them, Techie asked Hux hesitantly, “Are you ok?” He knew of course that Hux was alright from feeling and hearing the other man’s thoughts, but he wanted verbal confirmation.

“More or less,” Hux replied, running a tired and still trembling hand through his hair. “I’ve dealt with much worse at the hands of the Supreme Leader.”

Kylo ran his fingers over Hux’s shoulder soothingly before he murmured, “I’ll make it up to you.”

“You’d better,” the _dhampyre_ said pointedly, arching a delicate eyebrow at the knight.

“At least, I’ve marked you, just as you have marked me,” Kylo licked his lips and met Hux’s knowing gaze.

“Yes, well, I’d rather not feel your lightsaber’s kiss again for quite a while, if ever. If you are going to mark me again, at least use your teeth,” Hux teased, waggling his eyebrows at Kylo.

Feeling a flood of relief go through him at the sense of Hux’s non judging thoughts, Kylo bared his teeth and mock bit the General’s shoulder in answer. Techie snickered at that. The long haired ginger looked at Hux’s brand with morbid interest. The skin healed over the brand was already just a thinly raised scar. Kylo’s initials were broad stroked but careful and sure. No wonder the man had had to keep himself blocked from Hux so he could concentrate.

Techie almost wondered if Hux would let him touch it.

“You may,” Hux said gently, picking the thought right out of Techie’s head. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Techie flushed and almost lost his courage at touching Hux, but then Kylo saved him the trouble by reaching down, grabbing his hand and leading it up to the General’s brand. Techie lightly traced the ‘K’ and then the ‘R’, wondering what it would feel like to willingly take a brand like that. He swallowed heavily, feeling Kylo’s hand on the back of his knuckles, the action grounding him.

Hux reached over and with a still trembling hand, blanketed it over the other two’s hands. “I think I’ve had enough punishment for one day. Don’t you agree, _MASTER_ Ren?” Hux purred, knowing just how much the word ‘master’ affected Kylo.

He wasn’t disappointed when Kylo’s gaze went heated with pleasure. “Yes. Despite your fast healing skin, I do not recommend you continuing your workout for tonight. After Techie and I eat dinner, if you wish, we can continue our other excursions, but only light ones. You need rest, especially with that migraine of yours. It’s making my teeth ache.”

“No, that would be my fangs retracting,” Hux said with a small amused smile. “And since when did you become my mother?”

“Since you started calling me Master, my second Apprentice,” Kylo said with an answering smirk. “Though, I doubt you would’ve allowed me to suck your cock if I were your mother.”

“Yech, that is so disturbing and wrong on so many accounts.” Hux scrunched his nose up in disgust. 

The act made him look incredibly young and adorable. Techie and Kylo found themselves staring at Hux with softened looks and finally the General sobered, realizing what Kylo had called him. Was he really an Apprentice in Kylo’s eyes? Somewhat embarrassed but also secretly pleased at the thought, he felt an alarming shade of red flush up to his ears. Coughing slightly, Hux covered his awkwardness by releasing the other two’s hands and slapping said hands away from his person, ordering, “Enough. Move your orifices so I can go get changed.”

Techie and Kylo moved towards the door to the dojo and watched as the General picked up his discarded shirt, before the _dhampyre_ headed into the locker room. A full minute passed before the Techie sighed, almost wistfully. “He’s beautiful.”

“Be careful in thinking that around him or telling him that to his face. You might give him too much of a puffed out chest to fit into his uniform,” Kylo warned, though when he heard Hux’s mental snort he rolled his eyes. “But, yes, he is.”

“You are beautiful, too,” Techie said, reaching over with an uncharacteristic bold move and tugging his Master flush up against him so he could peck the man on the cheek. Finding a large freckle he’d been eyeing covertly for the past half hour, he kissed it shyly. Flushing slightly, and smirking at Kylo’s sudden look of astonishment, Techie pulled away. Feeling a bit giddy, Techie turned promptly and proceeded to leave the dojo in a mad dash.

Kylo blinked for one long moment, alone in the dojo, before he absently reached up to touch his cheek in wonder. 

\---------------------------------------

“I’m tired, Ren,” Hux said in a weak protest as the knight started manhandling him towards the Ren Corridor. To be herded like a nerf was definitely not something Hux was used to, and he probably would have slapped the other man’s hands away from his person if it weren’t for the fact that he was exhausted. 

Being a _dhampyre_ had its perks, one being in the fact that as long as he was fed properly then he had less of a need to sleep. But, today had been incredibly taxing, despite the refreshing four hours of completely uninterrupted sleep he’d had early that morning. So, Hux allowed himself to be herded like some sort of pack animal to the knight’s den, or was it a lair?

“Yes, which is why I am bringing you here instead of meeting up with Techie at your quarters,” Kylo explained, one of his recently donned gloved hands pressing into the General’s lower back to keep prompting the _dhampyre_ to walk in the direction he wanted him to. “You need more than just four hours of uninterrupted sleep. Plus, you aren’t the only one who is exhausted. It’s been a trying day for all three of us.”

“And why is sleeping in my own quarters tonight not an option?” Hux questioned, though he already knew the answer to that one.

“You know why.” Kylo huffed through his helmet’s modulator, “You’d instantly go for one of your various data pads. And no, you may not use any of mine. I am having Techie remove them right now from my quarters.”

“You’ve got to be joking, but then again, I know you aren’t,” Hux sighed deeply, adding, “When you told me you’d make it up to me, I didn’t think forcing me to rest is what you’d had in mind.” In fact, he hadn’t even heard that from the other man’s mind. 

“As if I could force you to do anything,” Kylo rolled his eyes so hard that he was afraid his eyeballs would get stuck in the back of his head. “You could very well leave and do what you want. No one is stopping you. I am just guiding and persuading you to take care of your body, so your point is irrelevant.”

Then the knight whispered lowly when he noted that they were alone in a hallway, “Plus, I know how it makes you feel to be pampered. You forget that we are connected now. I can see everything if I wish. You love being treated like an Emperor. It makes you _hot_. So let Techie and myself treat you tonight.”

 _And before you ask, yes, I am totally down with this,_ Techie’s voice filtered into Hux’s mind, making him feel a bit exasperated and amused. He still whined, “But, there are things I need to attend to before I get some rest. Like reading over Phasma’s report, and writing up other reports about the assassins.”

“I find your lack of better excuses _disturbing._ I’ve already seen Phasma’s report. If you glimpse at my thoughts while Techie and I are eating, I am sure you will find everything in order. The rest can wait until tomorrow,” Kylo stated, his voice having a finality in it that should have totally pissed Hux off. It went to show just how tired he was that it didn’t. Kylo added, “Enough, General. Resistance is futile, and you know it.”

“I can’t have just one data pad?” Hux full on pouted, eyes pleading, when they got to the Ren Corridor.

“Kriff, you must be exhausted if you are trying that with me.” Kylo reached over and flicked his nose, making the General wrinkle it in response. Kylo went on, “And no, not one data pad.”

Hux sobered and rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Oh all right, you nagging bucket wearing ape,” he huffed, looking over at the helmet wearing knight, who he knew was smirking behind his mask.

\-----------------------------------------------------

When Kylo had suggested Techie take out the data pads from the knight’s quarters, Techie had been insanely curious. He knew that Kylo had basically wrecked a good portion of the main room, but he still couldn’t help being interested in how his Master lived. So, he’d been surprised when he went into the room, finding nothing broken or smashed into bits. Perhaps Kylo had sent in a repair crew, or maybe the Force user had fixed everything himself while Techie had been blocked earlier. 

The main room was like his own, circular in design and shape, though bigger like Hux’s. Everything was black, though there were spots of color here and there, mostly blood red. There was a large black and red painting of a nebula above a ridiculously long black couch, curved to hang perfectly on the wall. Looking at the broad, slashing brush strokes of paint all over the canvas made Techie want to reach out and touch it. 

Still, that’s not what he was here for, and plus, he didn’t want to damage the painting his Master obviously had created. Techie was still trying to piece together the raw emotions and bits of memory from Kylo’s mind. And though the other Force sensitive had been keeping most of his thoughts and feelings muted for the last half hour or so, Techie could still pick out some useful things. Seeing the glimpse of his Master’s memory of making the painting came to mind. 

His Master had just been transferred onto the Finalizer, and he had been in such a painful rage, that he had destroyed the entire Ren Corridor, and then ransacked it again until nothing had been left but cold emptiness. After calming down, Kylo had sat in the middle of the chaos that he had created and had found the scene beautiful. 

And so he had specially ordered the paints, and had created the beautiful canvas to serve as a reminder that the Dark Side of the Force might feed chaos, but that resulting chaos could be magnificent. 

Pulling his bionic gaze away from the painting, Techie looked around the rest of the room in interest, making sure to take up the two data pads laying on a small coffee table in front of the couch. Hugging the data pads to his chest, Techie noted that there was a tall, skinny pedestal near the door, and on top of it was a hexagonal shaped disc covered in a layer of ash. Seeing a glimpse of that memory as well, Techie found it slightly morbid, but he knew why his Master had put the ashes of various thwarted enemies there. That’s also where Kylo put his helmet whenever at rest.

Nothing else was remarkable in the room. Unlike Hux’s room, that overlooked a huge amount of outer space, Kylo’s main room was enclosed with no light from outside of the ship. Advancing towards what Techie assumed was the bedroom, his jaw dropped when he went inside of it. The bed was slightly bigger than Hux’s, adorned with various shades of black. In front of the bed was a wall to wall black bookcase with a big enough collection of books to rival Hux’s office. On the other side of the bed was a large meditation mat, and further on into the room was a large closet. On the left side of the closet was a door to the refresher. 

Above, the ceiling was made of a huge shield-able circular skylight framed by mirrors on all sides. Those mirrors were strategic as they overlooked every hidden angle of the bedroom. Apparently his Master was about as paranoid as himself and Hux, though Techie really couldn’t blame him. The knight had several enemies, and just in case he was unable to use the Force for whatever reason, he had a fail-safe in those ceiling mirrors. 

On the nightstand close to the door was a large Sith battle tactics tome and Techie could literally feel it’s dark, seductive tendrils reaching out to him, making him instinctively shiver. Ironically enough, on the other side of the tome was a small Wookie doll, nearly threadbare in places with age. Being careful not to touch anything but what he had been instructed to, Techie advanced into the refresher.

The refresher was about as big as Hux’s though the bath products in there put the other ginger’s collection to shame. Kylo might not be vain when it came to his body, but he sure knew how to condition it. Kylo even had a floor to ceiling cabinet full of nothing but products. Techie’s eyes widened a bit at the amount and then snickered. His Master was definitely interesting. 

Heading back into the main room, Techie noted there was another door leading to another room near the main entry way to the quarters next to a closet. Heading over there, he went inside, noting that there were no lights at all in this room. There was another shield-able skylight that opened to the star filled space, but otherwise the place was pitch black. Techie’s whirring bionic eyes could easily make out what exactly was in the room, however. There was a black shrine strategically placed on one end, and on the top of it was an old burned out mask. A few chairs were in the room and another meditation mat, but nothing else. 

Nothing else really needed to be in there, Techie figured.

Getting chilled in spite of himself, Techie left the room quickly, data pads still hugged to his chest. 

Deciding that his Master was just a bit eccentric and creepy, Techie glanced around the main room again, making sure that he hadn’t missed anything, and then he left, heading towards his own quarters to hide the only data pads he had found. He just hoped Hux wouldn’t try to go mentally searching through his head for the location of the hidden items. It wasn’t long after that he sensed his Master practically herding the General down the hallways and Techie had snorted in mirth, previous chilled feeling forgotten. 

The General was protesting and being slightly adorable about it, in Techie’s point of view. Still, before the other ginger could use him as an excuse – though Techie wouldn’t blame him if he had, the Apprentice told him mentally, _before you ask, yes, I am totally down with this._

And he was. So much had happened during his first day in being Kylo’s Apprentice, though some of it had been somewhat boring, due to not being able to do anything. Techie figured though it had turned out ok. And it had been exciting most of the time. 

Hiding the data pads and hiding his own, Techie looked around the main room of his quarters and smiled, feeling content. Throughout his entire life it had been hard to find any place suitable to call ‘home’. Now, though, he found that he truly was actually home. The feeling was incredibly calming and a bit intoxicating. Hugging his middle and grinning happily, Techie finally felt like he could belong. 

His Master and Hux seemed to understand him more than anyone else he’d ever come in contact with. Perhaps that was because they shared a three way bond and were able to share in past experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Regardless of all that, the two had treated him like a real person and weren’t pushing him – yet. Of course, that might change at any giving moment depending on the situation – like with training, Techie fully expected Kylo to eventually get ruthless with him. And he’d be fine with that. If it meant saving his own life or that of others, then Techie actually wanted Kylo to push him hard in that regard.

For now, however, Techie was _happy._

And at least he now had something to truly smile about.

\----------------------------------------------------

Hux looked around the Ren Corridor in interest as Techie and Kylo showed him around. The Apprentice had met them at the entrance with a small hesitant smile on his face. Though Kylo and Techie didn’t take him downstairs to the training room, or force him to go all over the place, the two Force sensitives had showed him the kitchen and dining area, along with the overlook. 

Once inside the kitchen, Kylo took off his helmet and gloves, and started rummaging around with Techie for some food to fix while Hux wandered over to the dining overlook to peer out into space, hands clasped behind his back. “You can sit down, you know,” Kylo said, when he noted that the ginger was brimming with exhaustion, his strength fading with each passing moment.

“Yes, but I am afraid if I do, I might not get back up again for quite a while,” Hux admitted, turning to look over his shoulder at the two Force sensitives. His silhouette was beautiful in the soft light of the room, and Techie felt his mouth go dry as he took in the scene.

Nearly dropping his instant packet, Techie mentally shook himself and turned to find his Master watching him with knowing, amused eyes. Flushing, Techie mumbled, “I can’t help it.” Suddenly finding his boots interesting, the long haired ginger almost felt like crawling into a hole and not coming out ever again.

 _At least he’s honest,_ Hux told Kylo, who grunted in agreement. _It’s going to be hard not to want to pounce you, Techie,_ Hux added softly.

 _I wouldn’t mind, but…._ Techie said, and then trailed off, feeling Kylo’s fingers tilting his chin up so he could look at him through his long ginger tresses.

Kylo’s intense gaze was fiery, but still amused, and Techie felt himself get lost in those eyes. His Master was magnetic in every sense of the word, and the other male found himself incapable of pulling away. For a long moment Techie wondered if the knight was going to kiss him, and then the automatic cooker beeped, nearly making both men jump. Kylo pulled away and grunted at the contraption, “I’d destroy you if it weren’t for the fact I am hungry or that Techie needs to warm his food, too.”

“Threatening a microwave, Ren? Are you that lonely?” Hux couldn’t help teasing the knight, finally heading over to sit down at a table, giving up on the pretense that he wasn’t about ready to fall over from exhaustion.

“No, but I think you would prefer me threatening it than the alternative, since less expense reports pleases you,” Kylo shot back before he nodded in Techie’s direction, “And one of my Apprentices needs to eat.”

Techie snickered, in spite of himself and just like that the tension cleared, making him relax. After heating up his packet and grabbing some weird green looking fruit juice, Techie joined Kylo and Hux at the table. Conversation was light and not much banter was exchanged as the two Force sensitives ate their dinner. Every once in a while the mood would turn somber or irritated when Hux would question Kylo about Phasma’s report. After everything had been relayed, and Kylo had told Hux to sit his ass back down twice to keep the man from running off to the bridge, Techie finally took matters into his own hands.

He reached out and covered Hux’s hand with his own, shyly looking up at the other ginger through his eyelashes. Putting on the biggest pout he knew he could use to his advantage – Ma-Ma had always said his pouting was irresistible, Techie asked the General, “You don’t want to face plant in front of your men, do you?”

“Kriff, where did you learn to do that?” Hux breathed, shaken, though he didn’t remove his hand from Techie’s. When the ginger’s lower lip started trembling, Hux breathed out a loud sigh, protesting weakly, “Who said I would collapse in front of my men? I am not that tired.”

“No, you might not be. But,” Techie looked down slowly before lifting his gaze again, going in for the kill this time by licking his lips, “You might be too tired to make good decisions. And if you make any more mistakes, the Supreme Leader might want to plaster you all over the bridge. Then what would we do?”

 _What a sneaky, manipulative, adorable, kriffingly admirable, little shit your Apprentice is, Ren,_ Hux told Kylo, equal parts amused and amazed.

 _Of course he is. Despite what you think, Hux, there is always method to my madness,_ Kylo said smugly, leaning back in his chair with his arms across his chest, thoroughly entertained. _Techie shall become an extremely formidable Apprentice and ally if he isn’t already. I have chosen well._

 _Yes, yes, you might have actually done something right in choosing Techie, but still…._ Hux drifted off, his eyes now entranced by Techie’s bionic gaze. 

The man was milking that look for what it was worth, that’s for sure. Then the last of Hux’s resistance fled him when Techie whispered brokenly, “ _Please_ stay.”

Hux let out a huge sigh in a whoosh of breath, finally nodding, “Ok, fine. I’ll stay. Just, enough with the pouty look or I might get the wrong idea.”

Techie snorted, smirking in victory before he finished up his dinner. Kylo shared an amused look with Hux before he finished his own meal, feeling secretly proud of his new Apprentice. Hopefully tomorrow wouldn’t be as hectic and he could concentrate on beginning the other Force sensitive’s training. Unless they found the droid anytime soon, Kylo didn’t expect he’d be needed by the Supreme Leader for much of anything, which was a good thing in this case. Often times Kylo absolutely hated being idle, even if he meditated, one could only do so much to pass the time when they had nothing particularly interesting to do. Now, however, he had his Apprentice to teach, and that would take up most of the idle time he usually loathed.

Kylo was a bit nervous about teaching his new student, but also excited to see what Techie could do. 

And, as he narrowed his gaze at Hux, he wondered how his other Apprentice would flourish under his tutelage. Granted, Hux was not Force sensitive – except for the gifts he possessed in being a _dhampyre_ , but Kylo was still intrigued to see what those gifts were, and what the other man could do. 

Though he knew it was a long ways away in Techie and Hux’s training, Kylo started thinking about kyber crystals and what possible colors and types of lightsabers the two might be able to make. His own kyber crystal was cracked, and thus needed the cross guard vents to ensure stability and power. But, if Hux did end up having residual power coming from both Techie and Kylo’s Force bond connections with him, then perhaps the _dhampyre_ would be able to build and use a lightsaber of his own. It might not be as powerful as Techie’s or Kylo’s, but it was something to think about.

Unintentionally, a sudden fantasy of Hux and Techie with lightsabers in their hands, both naked, came to the forefront of Kylo’s mind, making him suddenly more than a little aroused.

Noting that conversation had stopped and both Techie and Hux were looking him with equal gazes of horrified arousal, Kylo asked, “What? A Master can dream, can’t he?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Trigger warning for those who need it: There is Lightsaber branding in this chapter along with Kylo slamming Hux into a wall. If that bothers you, please skip the section starting from _“No, but it doesn’t matter how I feel, does it?” Hux snapped, tensing in spite of himself.'_ and ends with _Feeling like he was damning himself, Hux rasped out, “I’m yours.”_ Basically, Kylo has to brand Hux in order to appease Snoke's disciplinary standards, so he brands him with the lightsaber puting 'KR' on Hux's chest right above his heart. 
> 
> Otherwise there is no other triggers in this chapter that I can think of. Hope you all enjoy the chapter. :)


	6. Surprise Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your comments and kudos! They always help inspire me to write more, so thank you. Also, May the 4th be with you! Hope you all enjoy the chapter. See end notes for trigger warnings in this chapter. Otherwise, read at your own risk!

### Chapter 6: Surprise Me

“You’ve got enough stairs in this area to make my head spin, Ren,” Hux mused, remembering when designing the Finalizer that the Knights of Ren were highly physical, so several colossal flights of stairs had been built in the Ren Corridor for that particular reason. 

Still, looking up the daunting stairway, Hux was not looking forward to climbing all those when he was really starting to feel his fatigue. Kylo shrugged, “I could always carry you up there.”

“Nonsense, I’ll be fine. Just don’t expect me to run up them,” Hux huffed out a resigned sigh and started up them, arching a delicate ginger eyebrow at the pole situated nearby.

Techie playfully told his Master, “You could always carry _me_ up there. I wouldn’t mind.”

“As much as I’d like to, your muscles need attending to,” Kylo chided his Apprentice wryly, motioning for the other Force sensitive to start his assent.

Techie would have turned a full pout on his Master if not for the fact that he’d feel ridiculous in doing so. Plus, his Master was right. He needed to start working those muscles of his, even if he wouldn’t start doing physical training for a while. 

“Ok,” Techie drew out the ‘k’ but headed up the stairs. Plus, these flights of stairs paled in comparison to the ones he’d often climbed up and down at the Peach Trees complex.

Once all three got to Kylo’s personal quarters, Hux really wasn’t sure what to expect. Gaping slightly at the typical black sparsely decorated room, his eyes immediately hinged on the beautiful nebula painting above the couch. Though Hux wasn’t an artist when it came to fine arts or anything like that, he appreciated all kinds of it. Reds and blacks were swirled around with broad brush strokes, yet all of the layers of paint worked wonderfully to convey chaos in its finest form. The work was truly magnificent.

 _I am glad you think so,_ Kylo murmured into his mind, adding, _It took me quite a while to get enough layers for the piece to come together._

 _You painted this?_ Hux replied, though he should have suspected as much. When he felt glimpses of memories filter through his mind, he understood Kylo’s answer. Allowing himself to feel a bit in awe of the other man, he said simply, _I’m impressed_.

Techie nervously plucked at the ends of his tunic, but otherwise didn’t add any comment, feeling pretty much the same way about the painting. Kylo turned to Techie with a softened and patient look, deciding to change the subject. “If you wish to leave at any time tonight and head to your own quarters, Hux and I will understand. Our relationship is odd, and unique, but we won’t force you to bear witness to, or join in activities you are not comfortable with.”

“Well said, Ren,” Hux said, though managing to keep the surprise out of his voice. 

“I appreciate that,” Techie murmured, chewing on his bruised lower lip. Then he bounced lightly on his heels and added, “Would it be ok, if I…. If I just watched tonight?”

“Of course,” Hux answered, arching a brow. “Though honestly I am not sure what you’ll be watching, since Ren seems to not even know that himself.”

“I was concentrating on getting you here,” Kylo defended himself as he sat down his helmet on its pedestal and removed his gloves. “I haven’t had the chance to think on what to do once here. Give me a minute, and I am sure I will think of something.”

“Well, I am here now, but I am exhausted. So, though I am loathe to say it, perhaps we should postpone desirable activities until after all three of us have rested?” Hux quested, tugging off his outer coat and hanging it in a closet.

“Not without giving you at least one orgasm,” Techie piped up. When Kylo and Hux turned to look at him in shock, Techie explained in a soft voice, “You’ll probably need it in order to sleep through the night. Otherwise you might get up in the middle of it and try to find a data pad.”

“I am not sure if I should be appalled or impressed that you have only known me personally for twenty four hours and already know what I might do when I haven’t even thought of it yet,” Hux said with a small smirk.

“You forget, he’s watched us for almost six months,” Kylo grinned, making Techie flush scarlet, “If anyone knows what we might do, it’s Techie.”

“I am just trying to be helpful,” Techie said, knowing it would be useless denying already known information. “And Hux needs rest.”

“Very well, Kylo, you’ve heard the man,” Hux breathed out, not even noticing that he’d called the knight by his first name. “One orgasm, and then sleep.”

“Sounds good to me, _Magnus_ ,” Kylo teased, though secretly he absolutely loved the way Hux had said his first name.

“Magnus? I thought your name was Armitage,” Techie arched an eyebrow. Then he picked up the information from Hux’s mind as the other ginger rolled his eyes.

“Armitage Eclipse Magnus Hux,” The General explained. “My father was both an idiot when it came to names and a bastard when it came to everything else. Hence why I insist on going by ‘Hux’ to those who know me.” 

“Well, though the names are unusual I guess they sort of make sense?” Techie said, moving further into the room to head to Kylo’s bedroom so he could use the refresher. When the other two followed him inside the bedroom, he added, “I mean Armitage basically means you are solitary and like to keep to yourself, Eclipse means that you are thoughtful and shrewd, and Magnus means you are a powerful leader.”

“Or he could have named you after the Empire,” Kylo suggested with a small smirk. “Armitage was an old weapons system that when used, disabled Rebel cyber capabilities and therefor crippled their ships. Of course the system was erratic and unstable to use, but when it was successfully sent out, many enemies perished. Eclipse was Emperor Palpatine’s dreadnought that also served as his flagship for a time. And Magnus is an old name and title from the Sith order that was bestowed on those who were Emperor like.”

“Hmmmm, perhaps you both are on to something. Still, my father probably had no idea about the meaning behind the names,” Hux insisted. “He might have been a brilliant if ruthless asshole when it came to warfare and the like, but he sorely lacked intellect when it came to anything else. So, don’t let me catch you calling me anything but ‘Hux’, and that includes you, Kylo.”

“Duly noted,” Kylo said, knowing that Hux secretly liked the name Magnus and that’s the only reason why he had said it earlier. But, if Hux wanted to be called Hux, then Hux he would still call him. “And I appreciate the difficulty of you actually calling me Kylo. Therefore, you may still call me _Ren_ if you wish. Though when other knights are present, it might be beneficial to not use Ren unless you want fifteen others turning their heads.”

“Understood,” Hux said, looking around Kylo’s bedroom in interest.

Techie used the refresher to relieve himself and after washing his hands, came out to join the other two, noting that Hux was now unbuttoning his uniform shirt. The act caused the other ginger to pause and stare, his bionic eyes fixed on the General’s now gloveless fingers. 

“You sure you just want to watch us, Techie?” Hux teased, though gently, sending comforting thoughts to the long haired Apprentice to make sure he didn’t get the wrong idea.

Hux didn’t want to have Techie think he was trying to push him into this.

Kylo, who was now rummaging through his closet for some sleepwear that Hux and Techie could use – though the clothing would probably swallow both gingers, paused and looked over his shoulder at the two men, intrigued. He noted that his Apprentice was incredibly aroused, almost to the point of pain, and it was starting to mess with his head. Licking his lips, Kylo turned back to what he was doing.

Techie let out a deep breath, and nodded, “Please.”

“Very well, but know that Kylo and I wouldn’t mind one bit if you change your mind,” Hux said, reaching around to undo his thick belt. Kylo crossed the meditation mat, his arms laden with sleepwear. Once he got to the bed, he placed them into two bundles on top of the black comforter. Tugging the cowl, collar, belt and outer robe off of him, throwing the items into a heap near the bed, Kylo carefully watched his Apprentice.

“Indeed.” The knight affirmed, before he changed the subject, noting Techie was starting to get a bit overwhelmed. “In the morning we will go over some Apprentice styles before I order Techie’s things. You may continue to borrow Apprentice Ferris Ren’s clothes until yours come in, Techie. For tonight, you may wear my sleepwear.” 

Techie took up a bundle of clothes and whispered, “Yes, Master.” Despite wanting to only watch for tonight – he hardly thought his brain would be able to stand more than that, Techie wished he had the courage to kiss his Master in thanks. Those pouty, full lips of Kylo’s were delicious looking and the long haired ginger wondered what they would feel like on his mouth.

“Techie, I doubt Kylo is going to mind you kissing him,” Hux said, adding, “He surely didn’t mind you doing that in the dojo, if I remember correctly. His brain sort of short circuited for a bit, but he enjoyed it, regardless.”

Kylo’s eyes were flaring slightly with a gold hue, though he seemed to be holding himself back. Techie wasn’t afraid of his Master, and he wanted to kiss him so bad. Finally Techie gave in with a low shaky needy growl, dropping his bundle of clothes and tugging his Master to him, his mouth crashing against the knight’s. Kylo let out a low grunt in response.

Hux smirked, pausing in his ministrations to watch. Techie wasn’t the only one who liked to watch. Plus the two Force users were deliciously magnetic, and Hux felt himself grow half-hard as Techie let out a wrecked mewl. 

Techie was in heaven, his heart beating fast, his hands clutching Kylo’s tunic in a vice like grip. Those lips were just as he’d imagined they’d be: soft, pliant, and succulent. And the fact that Kylo was meeting his kiss possessively, but not forcing the kiss to go deeper than it was made Techie feel less out of control. Briefly he felt Kylo’s hands run through his hair, settling to cradle the back of his neck, but not pressing too much. It felt all so real and unreal at the same time, and Techie wasn’t sure how much more he could take before coming untouched in his pants.

Then Techie felt the gates fully open in Kylo’s mind, all the resulting swirling emotions and feelings washing over him, making him gasp against his Master’s lips. Though it might have been unintentional –Techie wasn’t sure, Kylo was letting him see everything. The flashes were brief, but Techie could see exactly what the knight was thinking and more. It was an intimate experience, not unlike when he’d given his own mind up to Kylo the night before. It felt good, and addictive.

With a soft trembling breath of pure and raw desire, Kylo felt Techie rub up against the inner most part of his mind. He wasn’t questing, he was just there. It felt incredible, and if it weren’t for the fact that Techie wasn’t ready for much more than this, he would have had pushed his Apprentice up against a wall and fucked him as hard as he could, with wild abandon.

With difficulty, Kylo settled for meeting Techie’s lips again, the kiss gentle this time, though the knight shook with the effort to control himself. Kissing Techie was like kissing electricity and therefore different from kissing Hux. Hux’s kisses were hot and cold, a delicious mix of both in one fire and ice branding package. But Techie’s were electric, and practically sizzled him down to the core, ripping most of his sanity apart with just a gentle touch from his full and slightly chapped lips.

If Hux and Techie both kissed him, or touched him at the same time with sexual intent, Kylo didn’t know if he’d survive the literal combusting torment. And yet, he didn’t care. All he wanted was more. And from the thoughts in Techie’s head and the feelings that were coming off of the ginger in waves, the knight knew that in time, the other Force sensitive would want it too. 

Pulling away slightly from the fiery but gentle kiss, Techie murmured, “Thank you.” His eyes opened, not knowing he’d even closed them, and he met Kylo’s beautiful intense gaze. Kylo’s eyes were now swirling with gold, the look incredibly erotic; his Master was trembling, practically shaking with barely controlled passion. 

It was one of the hottest things Techie had ever seen. The thought of him actually being the cause of this – of making someone like Lord Kylo Ren feel raw and on the edge – it was incredibly intoxicating and arousing to Techie. Kylo’s fingers caressed Techie’s nape, before his hand went to cup the side of his face, thumb lightly teasing the crease of his Apprentice’s mouth.

 _Short circuited, indeed,_ Hux thought as he came over to stand near the two Force users. The tension in the room had risen to the point that Hux could probably penetrate it with a military knife, it was that thick.

He didn’t interrupt the two, sensing that this moment was highly intense and intimate between the Master and his first Apprentice. The scent of the other males’ racing blood was making him slightly dizzy, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. And though his fangs hadn’t lengthened from the smell, Hux couldn’t help licking his lips. He could feel the residual Force bond between Kylo and Techie strengthening, and it was drawing him in, almost intoxicating him. 

A few minutes later, Techie was gently pushed away from Kylo’s mind back into his own, causing him to let out a shaky breath. Their connection felt stronger, and Techie wasn’t sure if it should feel as good as it did, but he didn’t really care. Kylo’s eyes faltered then, though he flicked his gaze back up to meet Techie’s, the swirling gold gone now. The knight was still trembling, but not as much as before. The swirl of emotions were fading into a dull throb in the back of his head. Techie felt his iron like grip on Kylo’s tunic loosen, tension slowly draining out of him.

Hux sighed softly and bent to retrieve Techie’s dropped sleepwear, almost wondering if he’d actually get any sleep tonight, with all three of them highly aroused and very much awake. But, Hux was definitely not complaining. One of the side effects of not taking his suppressant meant his libido would be off the charts, and from the look and smell of things, Kylo and Techie were not lacking in that area either. Hux knew he was lucky in that regard.

Kylo dropped his hands from Techie, though he did ask him softly, “Are you ok?”

Techie knew that was a loaded question, so he calmed himself for a moment before nodding with a small shaky smile. “Yes, Master.” 

“Good,” Kylo whispered with a small smile of his own.

Techie looked over at Hux and flushed when he noticed the other man had watched, had liked what he’d seen, and had picked up his discarded sleepwear. Hux was now looking at him with a small mix of amusement and lust. Techie shyly took the garments from Hux’s hands and on impulse, leaned in to peck the other ginger on the lips before he dashed into the refresher, closing the door with a snick.

“Short circuited is an apt description, Hux,” Kylo mused, taking no small amount of pleasure in watching Hux look stunned out of his mind.

“Hell….” Hux let out a deep breath in a whoosh, before he rubbed his tired eyelids and yawned. 

Absently he rubbed the back of his neck, and soon found himself laying on the bed on his stomach with Kylo straddling his lower back, his fingers kneading into his tired muscles. His shirt and pants had been thrown half hazardly near the bed next to his boots and socks. He now was just clad in his black boxers, and though his new brand twinged slightly at the feel of being rubbed against the fabric of Kylo’s comforter, he wasn’t going to miss this for anything. Resting his face to the side, propped up against the backs of his hands, Hux enjoyed the attention.

That was how Techie found them when he came out of the refresher some minutes later, still towel drying his hair. Kylo’s bath products had been insane and probably highly expensive, since his hair felt like silk now and smelled like earthen mint and various herbs. His skin was also incredibly soft, smooth, and faintly tingling. He wandered over to the bed, placing the towel in a laundry receptacle near the closet on his way. For one long moment he watched Kylo practically turn Hux into a moaning, useless, and overly pliant male. Kylo was still mostly clothed, though his boots and socks were off, and his tunic had been unbuttoned down just past his collarbone.

Fingers expertly dug into Hux’s pressure points, coaxing out the various knots and kinks as Kylo made his way down the _dhampyre_ ’s lightly scarred bare back. He found a particularly nasty scar running from the top of his right shoulder blade that ran all the way down the backs of his ribs to end right above his hips. Kylo fingered that area gently, curious in spite of himself. He turned and caught Techie’s gaze as his Apprentice came over to join them on the bed, his actions a bit nervous, but otherwise intrigued. 

The man was practically swallowed up in Kylo’s spare sleepwear, but the look wasn’t so bad in the knight’s opinion. The shirt slid to one side, showing a bit of Techie’s collarbone and left shoulder as the ginger moved.

Techie looked over at the scar and assumed, “Bow caster wound?”

“Glancing blow, but yes,” Hux mumbled softly, not moving one inch when Kylo started lightly rubbing the sensitive ridged area. “Got it at the Academy, on our first real mission. The object was to infiltrate a casino near the outskirts of the city and kill a highly ranked smuggler that had ties to the old Rebellion. Unfortunately, the smuggler had a Wookie with him, and I barely got out of there with my life.”

Kylo’s hands stilled suddenly, his body going slightly rigid. Hux felt the swirl of emotions of rage, hate and nostalgia wash through the knight’s body. Unintentionally taking a few glimpses of Kylo’s memories of his own dark past, the general sighed. He had known where Kylo had come from before – it didn’t take a genius to find out some of the Force user’s history, though he’d never really thought about it much until now. 

The General continued, though carefully, “I was young and foolish, thinking that I knew better than my superiors, so I made a move before they told me I could. I was at the top of my class, and I thought that I could best one of the greatest swindlers in modern history by myself.”

Techie regarded the two men with interest, and listened, folding his legs underneath him so he could put his hands into his lap. Flickers of memories caressed his mind as Hux continued, “The man saw right through me immediately, however. The only reason why I am alive today is because Han Solo decided I wasn’t that much of a threat. After his Wookie gravely injured me, I was knocked out for a while and the smuggler could have ended my life right there. However, he did not. When I woke, I saw his boots come near my face and he crouched down and told me, ‘Yea, that’s going to leave a mark. But, I like you, kid. You remind me of someone. It’s gotta take a whole lot of guts coming after me and my friend here.’ And then he told the Wookie to patch me up and send me on my way.”

“How did….how did people at the Academy take it?” Techie was hesitant to ask, though he already kind of knew the answer.

“Failure is never an option,” Hux sighed deeply. “That’s why the scar is raised still on my body, and why it healed differently than the others. My father wanted to see to my punishment personally, and deemed it necessary to humiliate me in front of my only friend. Knowing what was coming, I stopped taking my suppressant for once to give me strength, for I knew without a doubt Brendol wanted to kill me. I was lucky that it fell during the time of the year that I normally took it.”

“Kriffing hell,” Kylo breathed, his anger rising deep inside of him as the implications became known to him. Hux’s thoughts and fragments of memories washed over him, and it took all he had in him to not slam his fist into the headboard. Getting violent, though satisfying, would not change the fact that Hux had almost died by the hands of Han Solo and his own father. True, he shouldn’t even be feeling so much on Hux’s behalf, regardless if things had changed the night before. But, as the night was wearing on, Kylo couldn’t bring it in himself to fight against it. Force bonds were deemed as precious, and it didn’t matter which side of the Force the bond was hinging on. So, Kylo clenched his fists and forced himself to calm the storm within him.

Techie reached out to take hold of Kylo’s hand, perhaps needing the grounding aspect, or wanting to keep Kylo stable enough for Hux to finish his story.

Hux wondered why he was suddenly spilling one of his deepest secrets to the other men. Perhaps it was because they all had secrets, and since each one of them had a bond with the other, then there would be no such thing as betrayal. From what he had just gained from Kylo’s mind, Force bonds, whatever they were, had a rather disturbing and nasty surprise for someone who tried to betray them. Glimpsing at Kylo’s thoughts, he knew that the man had been shaken by his words, and by extension, so was Techie, but for a different reason. 

And there was the fact that as the minutes ticked on by, he was starting to relish the bonds that they shared. It didn’t matter if he’d only met Techie the night before, or that Kylo and himself had been bitter rivals until last night. He never had anyone of his own to care about like this. Even Phasma, with all that they had been through together, had never shared something so intimate, so achingly beautiful like this. And Hux figured that he was starting to want to fight for it and protect it at all cost. 

And once Hux got something on his mind, something that he wanted to have, there was nothing stopping him when he went after it. The feeling was overly possessive, and though the future could only tell how things would progress between Techie, Kylo, and himself, Hux found that he wanted more of it. Not just that, he was beginning to need it like the _dhampyre_ needed blood to survive.

Aloud Hux murmured, “Long story short, my father tried to make my wound fester and poured acid into it while holding me down, making me incredibly weak. He wanted me to die in agony, and that would have happened, if I had taken my suppressant.” His breath hitched, though he continued monotonously, as if talking about one of his favorite star destroyer blue prints, “I snapped. I drained him dry while Phasma watched. Afterwards I didn’t feel any horror, or grief, just immense relief that his abuse was finally over. I was only sixteen and I had become a murderer. Phasma and I spun our webs of lies and after I fully healed, and then I went back to the Academy to finish my schooling.” 

After Hux finished his tale, pulling his thoughts away from the sudden need rising in his veins; the need to be held, to possess, and defend the other members of this strange triad, he was surprised when Techie started carding hesitant fingers through his hair. The touch was light and gentle, and compassion, not pity filtered through their bond. It was then that Hux noticed his cheek was damp. Strange how one could be intensely affected when one of the secrets they held deep inside of them was given in the confidence of a few trustworthy others. 

In this, Hux trusted Kylo and Techie. 

Kylo adjusted himself, releasing Techie’s hand, and allowed Hux to roll over, making sure not to displace himself in the process. As he settled back onto Hux’s hips, he ran his fingers over the _dhampyre_ ’s sides soothingly. Though Hux rubbed his face and sniffed slightly, Kylo nor Techie judged the ginger as he let some distressed emotion leak through his normally rigid self-control. Once Hux got control over his emotions, he reached up and ran his fingers over Techie’s left arm – the one that was within his reach. Techie smiled slightly and took hold of that questing hand into his own.

“Blast, that was a bit of a downer, wasn’t it?” Hux asked, suddenly lightening the air. 

Kylo and Techie laughed softly in answer, and just like that, the melancholy mood lifted. “Perhaps, but we appreciate you confiding in us,” Kylo said, leaning down to capture the ginger’s lips with his own. Kriff, ever since the dojo, he’d wanted to do this.

Pulling away slightly, Kylo pecked a few kisses on Hux’s reddened eyelids, making the ginger snort in amusement.

“It’s not easy talking about secrets,” Techie admitted, and he offered the other ginger a small understanding smile, squeezing his hand comfortingly. Then he teased pointedly, “And you aren’t a _murderer_ , Hux, you are an _idiot_ detector and eradicator. We should all bow before your malevolence and brilliance.”

Both Hux and Kylo burst out laughing at that. “So, me being a selective killer doesn’t bother you, then?” Hux shot back, smirking as he sobered.

“No, I’d be kind of a hypocrite otherwise,” Techie wrinkled his nose before shrugging.

“Same,” Kylo murmured, leaning down to capture Hux’s lips again, this time going in for the kill, pun intended. Their tongues met sensuously, making Hux’s toes nearly curl at the taste and feel of Kylo practically devouring him. 

Techie watched the act with interest, his bionic eyes whirring as he felt his blood start to race again, his cock twitching hard against his lower abdomen.

Hux let out a moan, keeping one hand securely in Techie’s hand, and reaching around with his free hand to grasp Kylo’s nape. This time when Kylo pulled away, the Force user asked huskily, “What do you want me to do?”

“Surprise me,” Hux licked his lips, waggling his eyebrows playfully, eyes flickering red.

\-----------------------------------------------

Hux might not have been surprised when Kylo suddenly tore his own tunic and under shirt up and over his head, throwing them over in the direction of his other discarded clothing. Nor was he really surprised at the beautiful skin the man revealed: battle hardened, but soft velvet over steel muscles, or the fact that freckles and moles littered all over the expanse to intermingle with the various thin scars. Even Kylo going down on all fours above him hadn’t really shocked him.

No, what really surprised Hux was when Kylo leaned forward, pausing to catch the top of the ginger’s boxers with his teeth. His dark eyes never leaving Hux’s, Kylo suddenly yanked said article of clothing off of the General swiftly, easily baring him to the cool air. Hux breathed out a short gasp as the colder air of the room teased his now fully hard cock that was resting up against his belly. His balls lay heavy against his thighs, covered in neatly trimmed ginger curls. After Kylo disposed of the boxers, tossing them over to where his own pile of clothes were, the Force sensitive then reached out with one hand, still keeping Hux’s gaze. There was a swift whir in the air as a small bottle of lube came out of the refresher and into his reach.

 _Show off_ , Hux thought, with no small amount of envy and arousal thick in his mind. Telekinesis was a convenient and useful gift to have, Force user or no. 

Only then, did Kylo’s dark gaze leave his own, looking over Hux’s body thirstily like a dying man in a desert spying the first stretch of cool water he’d seen in days. Swallowing hard at the attention, Hux looked over to note Techie was ogling his frame as well, a high flush on his face. The smell of arousal and lust was thick in the air. Hux loved it and practically bathed in it. His gums ached at the scent, and the ginger allowed his fangs to slide down.

Techie released Hux’s hand and fisted the material of his large borrowed sleep pants until his knuckles turned white. His eyes whirred as he looked over Hux and Kylo, from the broad muscled skin of Kylo’s torso, to the pale, freckled expanse of Hux’s body. Then his eyes zeroed in on Hux’s cock and balls, flush heating more. Licking his lips, Techie felt his breathing start to come out in rasps. Both males were beautiful.

Kylo drank in the beautiful sight of Hux, noting that soft ginger hair littered the man’s legs, but not enough to be considered too much or too little. Pale skin and freckles were contrasted beautifully against the black of Kylo’s comforter. The pink, flushed cock and soft balls at the apex of the General’s thighs made it hard for the knight to concentrate. Though he’d tasted the General’s cock before, he wanted to taste it again, and even wanted it inside him. Swallowing heavily at the strange thought, Kylo forced himself to loosen his grip on the lube bottle in his hand. Kylo was normally a very dominate male, and though he had experimented in his youth, he’d never really much liked being the one on the receiving end of a cock.

But, now, he felt he wanted to perhaps try it again, this time with Hux or Techie – but much later down the road. Licking his lips, Kylo reached down to his own abdomen and unzipped his fly. When he took his cock out of his pants, but left his pants on, Hux’s eyes grew hooded with lust and desire. The blue gaze was now almost completely red in its intensity and the sight of Hux’s fangs peeking out from between his full lips made Kylo feel more fire fuel his blood. Pumping his shaft a few times, rubbing some precome around his tip, Kylo then paused to coat his hands with lube. 

“Such a pretty cock. If I would have known you’d been hiding something like that in your pants these past three years, I would have pounced on it earlier,” Hux breathed out, his voice sly, but filled with husky pleasure. Kylo’s cock was pretty. It was big in girth and long, but not disproportionate in any sense of the imagination and it was duskier than his in color. Hux’s cock was thinner than Kylo’s but perhaps a few centimeters longer. 

Techie chewed on his lower lip, liking what he saw. A lot. With a soft blissed out sigh, the long haired ginger pulled his legs out from underneath him and scooted up to the headboard closer to Hux so he could get a better view. Propping himself up against the headboard, Techie spread his legs slightly and lazily ran his hands over his legs, his cock tenting his sleep pants deliciously.

Kylo flushed slightly and shrugged, “We have time to make up for it. And we will make use of it, when we are able to.” He then looked over at his Apprentice, who was trying really hard not to touch himself. With a soft huff, Kylo told him softly, “If you continue to watch us, Techie, it’s more than ok to seek pleasure yourself. You don’t have to get undressed, or anything to that nature, but it would be beneficial and healthy to give in to your desires instead of holding back too long.”

“Our little long haired ginger is a bit of a masochist as well, hmmm?” Hux mused, craning his head slightly so he could also look at Techie. 

The other ginger licked his lips with a bit of uncertainty, his bionic eyes whirring back and forth from Hux’s and Kylo’s non-judgmental but lust filled gazes. He finally let out a ragged sigh and nodded shakily. He then explained in a sudden embarrassed litany of words, “I like it to hurt. I don’t know why but I’ve always felt more in control if it hurts a bit. It feels good and though I’ll probably be raw tomorrow, I am so down with that. Fuck, if I touch myself now I am going to fucking explode and then I won’t be able to do much until everything that you two are doing is over, so I am fine in waiting for a little while longer. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t say sorry for how you feel, Techie,” Kylo said with a small smile. “If you like being rough with yourself, that’s fine. If you want to wait a while, that is fine, too. We just want you to feel comfortable and able to enjoy pleasure as well tonight, that is all.”

“And if you let us see your face go slack in absolute atomic bliss due to watching us give in to our desires, then that’s icing on a very delicious cake,” Hux teased, his smirk broadening into a full grin when Techie let out a strangled “Fuck”.

“Ok,” Techie breathed in a few ragged breaths, his eyes riveting to Kylo as his Master started coating up his own cock with lube.

Kylo leaned down to lick a long hungry swipe up Hux’s cock, causing the _dhampyre_ to hiss in pleasure. Then the Force sensitive reached over and stroked the ginger’s cock, coating it deliciously with lube, smearing a few drops of precome around the head. He lightly massaged Hux’s soft balls, watching as Hux literally arched his back and let out a keen of desire. 

Finally done with the bottle of lube for now, Kylo tossed it to Techie, who nearly dropped it. When he blinked over at Kylo, the man shrugged, “Being rough with yourself doesn’t mean you need to murder your cock to do it, Techie. Use some of that. You’ll enjoy it, I promise.”

Techie licked his lips and nodded, “Thank you, Master.”

The word ‘master’ gave Hux a very deliciously naughty idea. Deciding to implement it, he arched his hips against Kylo’s hands and mewled dirtily, “I need you, _Master_ ….I can’t take it anymore. I need you….to….dominate… me. Make me come….” 

Kylo’s face snapped up to catch Hux’s gaze, and the ginger let out a surprised ‘oof’ as he suddenly got one very horny Force sensitive on top of him, his hips digging down hard up against his. Techie would have laughed softly at the General’s antics if it weren’t for the fact that the resulting effect on Kylo had hot results. Damn, his Master could move when properly motivated. 

_Kriff_ , Was all Hux could think before Kylo was kissing him so hard, their teeth clacked. Not being able to help himself – and he was enjoying this way too much, Hux arched his hips up against Kylo’s, letting out a ragged moan when their cocks sensuously slid up against eachother. 

Kylo growled, the sound sending chills up and down Hux’s spine, making him arch his hips harder, desperate for any kind of friction. Not long after, with just using just one hand to brace himself up against Hux, Kylo pulled away, his lips bruised and slightly bloody. His free hand reached down to hike up one of Hux’s legs. That delicious friction Hux had been wanting was suddenly there, and the ginger let out a raspy cry, fangs slightly tinged red from Kylo’s split lower lip. Who knew that Kylo would respond so well to his words?

Then again, he should have known, considering how the knight had acted earlier when he’d used the honorific before. Kylo’s eyes swirled into gold surrounded by black as he met Hux’s gaze before he pounced again, collapsing fully against the General with a muffled grunt. Wrapping his arms around Hux, Kylo slowly rocked his hips in a deliberately deep dive. The act nearly made Hux see stars, and he let out loud filthy moans when Kylo practically ate his mouth, taking the ‘dominate me’ part of the ginger’s words very seriously. Hux reached up and held on for dear life as Kylo started going faster, their cocks rubbing with heated friction, the lube making the slide hotter and more effective.

Soon Hux wrapped his other leg up around Kylo’s hip so that the Force sensitive had full access to his goods, meeting the erratic primal thrusts of the knight with ones of his own. Claws raking down Kylo’s back, Hux knew he wasn’t going to last long, and then all of a sudden, he was sucked into the Force user’s mind. Kylo practically yanked Hux there, so that both of their minds were connected to the point where neither knew where the other began or ended. 

Kylo bent his head and lapped at one of Hux’s nipples, before nipping it harshly. Hux let out a guttural cry, pleasure ripping through him like fractured stars. The knight breathed in Hux’s snowy scent, wanting nothing more than to possess it. Long licks littered all of the _dhampyre’_ s skin, moving up to lave at his mark, and when Hux tugged one of his ears, Kylo keened out a sound, totally wrecked and torn. 

The knight met Hux’s lips fiercely, arching his hips faster and harder, the feel of Hux’s slick prick sliding against his made the Force user climb to the edge. Hux’s hands fisted into his hair, feeling and hearing everything Kylo was. It felt heady and exotic, but then Kylo was deep inside his mind, caressing, stroking, pushing him near the edge. Hux threw back his head and gasped out, “Fuck, YES!”

Techie whimpered and slowly reached into his pants to start spreading lube over his cock. Though the long haired ginger was not a stranger to sex in any shape of the imagination, he really hadn’t experimented much with lube. The partners he’d managed to have – when he’d been willing, that is, never had that sort of luxury hanging around. So most of the time he fucked bare and dirty or was treated the same way. Ma-Ma had seen to it though that all of her slaves had been given drugs to kill any sort of sexually transmitted diseases, and though she probably never intended it to be, it had been a small blessing to Techie.

Once he had been freed and moved to the Finalizer, there hadn’t been much of a drive to go find someone attainable to fuck around with. And then Kylo and Hux happened. 

Perhaps Kylo was right about the lube. Hux and Kylo seemed to really enjoy what they were doing, and it was incredibly hot. Techie let out a soft desperate keen when he started stroking himself, finding that yes, Kylo had been right.

The feel of the lube eased up on the roughness of his hand, but that wasn’t a bad thing. Whatever roughness there had been was replaced by a slick and heated slide, making Techie literally feel like his cock was burning up with several tingles. With each slide of his fist, Techie felt himself get closer to the edge, and he bit his free hand as he tried to make it last. The sight and sounds of Kylo dominating Hux was not helping in that department. And then his mind suddenly was sucked into Kylo’s, letting him feel everything, see everything from the other man’s point of view, as well as Hux’s. It caused Techie to let out a choked off wail as he came so hard he thought his balls actually went through the end of his cock.

Hux felt as if his whole entire mind exploded then, feeling Techie’s feelings and thoughts ramming up against his and Kylo’s. His body frantically reached release over and over again, come splattering all over his and Kylo’s stomachs. Kylo started rocking harder and faster, his body going headlong into an earthshattering climax that nearly caused him to black out with its intensity. A few minutes later, Kylo reached up and stroked Hux’s sweat slicked and fully wrecked hair, leaning in to exchange a few breathless kisses with the man. So much for doing anything light tonight. Hux panted out an amused huff at that, but then turned his attention to Techie, who was still playing with himself. The sight was both erotic and intoxicating. The other man was looking like the full personification of bliss. 

As Techie came down from his high, he briefly felt Kylo and Hux’s gaze on him as he panted, mouth agape, his body feeling hyper sensitive and tingly. His hand gently pumped his still leaking cock, the feeling not as harsh as when he’d not used any lube. The lube, in fact was allowing him to touch himself longer before it got too intense, and Techie started shuddering as his cock gave in to another residual climax. “Ngh….” Techie moaned, his head resting against the headboard, eyes closing at the feel.

Kylo answered that moan with a ragged grunt of his own, reflexively arching his hips languidly as he and Hux watched Techie enjoy himself. “Kriff, Techie…..”

Techie was beautiful.

Hux grunted in agreement before hitching a breath as he felt more desire funnel in from Techie’s side of the bond. 

\---------------------------------------------------------

When Techie opened his eyes again, he pulled his hand away from his now thoroughly spent cock. Absently he reached up and licked off his own essence, causing the two others on the bed to whisper soft curses. Techie’s blue eyes whirred as he turned to look at his Master and the General, noting both were now very much naked, and thoroughly spent. Kylo must have shucked off his pants and boxers while Techie had still been at his apex. Kylo was spooning Hux and littering small kisses over his shoulder, where the shadow of bruises were fading. Come was starting to stick to both men, but neither one seemed to mind.

Kylo had been rough with the General, though from the looks of things, Hux had enjoyed every minute of it. Techie blinked slowly, his own thoughts finally restarting and remembering what had just transpired. Yes, Hux had enjoyed every minute of it, so had Kylo, and so had Techie. Now, though, Techie felt his cock twitch lightly with the sight of his Master lazily running his fingers down Hux’s side.

It was a very intimate gesture, and Hux seemed to like it. Techie wondered what it would feel like, those hands on his skin. Maybe someday soon he’d be able to feel comfortable to try touching and being touched like that. But, for now, this was way better than he could ever had hoped.

“I totally messed up your sleep pants, Kylo,” Techie breathed, suddenly feeling a bit awkward.

Hux snorted with mirth and Kylo rolled his eyes. “I have another pair. While Hux is showering I’ll get it.”

“Thank you,” Techie mumbled, watching as the General slowly got out of Kylo’s embrace, pausing to give the knight a kiss, before the other ginger grabbed his pile of sleepwear that had miraculously stayed on the bed during their excursion, and headed for the refresher.

Both Force sensitives watched until the _dhampyre_ disappeared from view. “Are you ok?” Kylo asked his Apprentice gently, hating having to keep asking, though he knew it was necessary. Techie was dealing with a bunch of new things – they all were, but the former technician could get overwhelmed quite easy. With his past, it still amazed Kylo that the man had come out of all that miasma of pain and suffering with a sane if tortured mind.

Techie nodded with a small smile, “More than ok.”

“Good,” Kylo said, slowly getting up to go into the refresher for a couple of washcloths. Hux was in the shower by then, but didn’t pay him any mind as he rinsed off his body. 

Kylo paused to give the General’s back a heated and appreciative look through the shower glass door before heading back into his bedroom. Techie was in the process of peeling off the now dirty pants. Kylo quickly averted his eyes, holding out one of the washcloths, knowing that the other male wasn’t comfortable with others seeing his body. Not just yet.

“Thank you, Kylo,” Techie whispered, taking one of the damp washcloths and wiping up the evidence of his pleasure from his skin. 

Kylo coughed slightly and turned to rummage around in his closet for another few pairs of sleep pants. Finding some, he handed one pair to Techie, who looked practically dwarfed in his shirt, the ends coming to cover his waist even. The Apprentice now had his knees tucked up underneath the shirt, only his toes showing underneath it. It was doing all sorts of things to Kylo’s brain, knowing that Techie was bare under that shirt and sitting on his comforter.

If Kylo hadn’t had such a trying day, he’d probably want to turn back around, go into the refresher and have his way with Hux again just to keep his hands off of his first Apprentice. But, fatigue was rolling over him, so he wandered over to the other side of the bed. Averting his eyes, Kylo pulled back the comforter so he could sit down and start cleaning himself off. He’d take a shower in the morning. 

When Hux came out of the shower, now changed into the knight’s clothes, he noted that both Kylo and Techie were cuddled up, dressed for bed, talking softly to one another about tomorrow’s schedule. They looked so sweet there that it nearly made Hux’s teeth ache. Shaking his head mentally, Hux advanced and slid into bed with them, coming to settle at the right side of Techie. All three maneuvered themselves to a formation quite similar to the one they’d had the night before, and Kylo whispered, “Lights out.”

Darkness swallowed them, but the skylight gave a small bit of luminescence from the expanse of space. Kylo set the alarm to go off at the time Hux needed it to – which was a half hour earlier than normal since he needed to head back to his rooms to change for the day and feed Millicent. Then the knight settled back down, tugging Techie gently into his arms, tucking his face into the Apprentice’s neck.

Techie sighed and burrowed his face into Hux’s side, feeling warm, cocooned, and safe.

Kylo didn’t do the ‘Force thing’ on his mind that night, but Techie didn’t have any nightmares. Kylo had one, however, but cuddling Techie next to him helped. Briefly he felt Hux reach over and card his fingers through his hair and he leaned into the attention. 

Kylo was starting to feel much like Hux had earlier. He wanted this. Needed this. And as he shared a look in the dim light with Hux, he knew that the General and Techie needed this too. All three of them were fucked up and broken, but that’s what could make something like this work. 

Hugging Techie to him more possessively, Kylo resolved himself to ensure that it worked.

And fuck anyone who stood in their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Not much besides some hints into Techie's past. Hux does explain how he killed his father in this chapter and it does contain some mild mentions of abuse and attempted murder.


	7. Training

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter got out a bit later than planned :( But, it's a nice long one for everyone, so I hope you all enjoy it. Thank you for your kudos! I greatly appreciate them, and they help keep me writing, so thank you. No warnings/notes for this one. Hope you all enjoy :)

### Chapter 7: Training

The next day had Hux back on the bridge, filing more reports, and giving more orders out. He felt incredibly rested, though he was a bit on edge. The droid and fugitives were illusive, and Phasma’s report hadn’t been miraculous in leads as to where the Freighter might be headed. About the only thing that she had found out was that the Freighter had been the property of one Unkar Plutt, a notoriously irritable and ruthless Crolute junk boss. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Freighter had actually been stolen property. So far the tracking numbers were proving difficult. 

At least they had recovered some holovid recordings of footage from the wreckage of the shot down TIE fighters that had gone after the Freighter. Narrowing his eyes thoughtfully as he looked at the strange and incredibly old Freighter, something nagged in the back of his mind. Then he gasped as he watched it maneuver. He would know that ship anywhere. 

“Lieutenant,” Hux suddenly smirked, finally having something substantial in leading their search.

“Yes, sir?” Mitaka asked, as the General came to stand near his station.

“Send out a message to all of our unsavory allies in the Outer Rim. Tell them that we are searching for two fugitives and a droid aboard the Millennium Falcon.” After Mitaka did as he was instructed, Hux wandered over to his favorite spot near the front windows of the bridge. 

Placing his feet slightly apart and his hands clasped behind his back, the General reached out to touch his connection with Kylo. The Force sensitive was in the middle of having Techie try on various styles of Knight Apprentice wear, and from the feelings and random thoughts he got from both parties, both needed a break. Techie wasn’t one to tell people what he liked when it came to clothing, for he wasn’t used to having any clothing of his own except for the things he was provided. He did have a few casual clothes with the brightest, neon colors imaginable, but otherwise he honestly didn’t care about styles or anything else. As long as it was comfortable, he didn’t care what it looked like. Kylo, however, was very serious about making sure his Apprentice looked the part of a knight in training, as well as having efficiency in movement, stealth, and breathability. 

_Yes?_ Kylo’s irritable voice filtered into his mind.

No ‘how has your day been’ or ‘are you ok’ or anything of that matter, but Hux didn’t expect much since he knew that the knight was busy. So, he kept things straight to the point, _I do hate to interrupt, but I have a new development that will help in the tracking of our rogue Freighter._

 _I’m listening,_ Kylo said, suddenly very interested, prior ire abandoned.

 _I thought you might want to know that the Freighter is the Millennium Falcon._ Hux’s pleased smirk grew more catlike as he felt astonishment, rage, and lastly, resigned resolve coming from the Force sensitive.

 _He means nothing to me,_ Kylo said after a moment. _If he ends up assisting the fugitives, then he will perish with them._

Hux didn’t have to guess or read the other man’s mind to know who Kylo was talking about. The General wasn’t sure what the knight was trying to do, lie to him, or lie to himself. Maybe it was a bit of both. Either way it went, at least they now knew how to track the Freighter. It was a place to start. And if Han Solo was, in fact on board the Freighter when they found it, then Kylo could fight his own war with his father then. As long as they didn’t lose focus on their objective. The droid needed to be found and apprehended at all cost. 

\------------------------------------------------------

Techie looked at the items of clothing practically strung out all over the place in the main common area of the Ren Corridor. “I like this,” Techie said, pointing to his pants he was currently modeling off in front of Kylo.

“Crouch down in a squat a few times, Techie,” Kylo was trying really hard to be patient, he really _was_.

So far Techie had tried out every single style of Knight Apprentice clothing and he’d not liked either one. He liked a few things from one style, but other things from other styles. Nothing truly seemed to click with Techie though. It wouldn’t be a problem making a uniform from the various articles of clothing that Techie did like, but the overall look would be absolutely ridiculous.

Kylo might not be vain (ok maybe a _little_ bit), but he did want his Apprentice to look the part of a specter. He wanted people to look at him and quiver in fear and respect, not laugh at him behind his back. Not only that, but the battle efficiency of the clothes needed to be as proficient as possible. Loose fitting clothing was nice, but if it was too loose it became a problem. Kylo wanted his Apprentice to have something that was comfortable, easy to move in, and would protect him should there be any up close and personal combat. 

Techie squatted a few times, feeling a bit ridiculous, but knowing it was necessary. The pants were a bit snug in the crotch, but otherwise were fine everywhere else. “Kind of snags in the wrong places.” Techie sighed deeply, feeling a bit depressed. 

It looked like they might have to create their own style. 

Kylo took up his data pad and tapped in a few keys, pulling out a stylus from the side slot. He told his Apprentice, “Ok, that’s enough for now, Techie. You can sit down for a few minutes while I sketch.”

“You are going to sketch my uniform?” Techie asked, surprised. He sat down with a huff in the middle of discarded piles of black uniforms and folded his legs pretzel style.

“Yes.” Kylo walked around in a large circle for a minute, piecing together the articles Techie liked the most, and started changing things. “I designed my own, too. It really shouldn’t have surprised me that you would be as picky as I was as a beginner.”

“I’m sorry,” Techie pouted slightly, feeling a bit bad.

Kylo shrugged, “I’d rather have you comfortable and alive than dead because something got caught on something it shouldn’t have and caused you to falter in battle.” After a few minutes, Kylo wandered back over to where Techie was lounging and with a whoosh of breath, he sat down beside him.

The knight nudged Techie a bit and showed him a draft of what he’d come up with. Techie’s eyes whirred in interest as he looked at the rough design. “That doesn’t look bad.”

“Glad you approve,” Kylo snorted with a small smile. “It’s only a rough draft. I will work on it tonight after training. Hopefully we can get the prototype made for you shortly after I finish the overall design.”

Techie nodded. “Thank you.”

With a calm wave of Kylo’s hand, all of the piles of clothing disappeared, leaving them once again in a clean common area. Techie’s stomach rumbled and he felt red creep into his cheeks at the sound. Kylo rolled his eyes and nudged his Apprentice again, “Up. We can start training after lunch.”

“Finally!” Techie exclaimed as they got up, being a bit of a smart-ass but not being able to help himself.

Kylo huffed and lightly swatted at the other Force sensitive’s ass as they made their way to the kitchen. Techie let out a slight ‘meep’ but otherwise didn’t mind the light censure. 

\------------------------------------------------

After the remains of lunch had been cleared away, Techie followed Kylo down to the large training room, blinking a bit to adjust his bionic eyes to the softer lighting. Apparently what Kylo was going to start teaching him was something that didn’t need a whole lot of light. There were two large circular meditation mats forming a figure 8 surrounded by a long oval training mat near the far back of the room, placed strategically right underneath the highest part of the atrium. 

Kylo brought with him a small bag of herbs and gestured for Techie to sit down in one of the circles in a half lotus position, which the ginger was able to pick out the picture in his Master’s mind in order to do so. Kylo surveyed Techie’s posture and lightly corrected it with a hand pressing lightly against his Apprentice’s back and his other hand pushing down slightly on his stomach. The touch didn’t bother Techie, though it did make him blow out a huge whoosh of air. 

The knight looked him over a bit more before making more corrections. Techie really had horrible posture. Pulling back on Techie’s shoulders, he lightly ran his thumbs over the areas soothingly. Techie relaxed a bit more and then Kylo moved on to tilt the other Force user’s chin up. 

“This feels weird,” Techie admitted, wrinkling his nose a bit.

“That’s because you slouch too much. Your spine will get used to being straighter as time goes on. I know it might be difficult at first, but try to sit with a straighter back from now on while at rest,” Kylo suggested, coming to sit down in front of his Apprentice – only he sat in full lotus position.

Kylo scooched a bit until their knees were almost touching, and then he took out his pouch of herbs. Techie watched curiously, not knowing exactly what they were for. _They are to help you calm and find the Force within you easier. You won’t need them eventually, once you start recognizing where to go and what to look for,_ Kylo said into his mind.

Taking a small pinch of the herbs Kylo leaned forward and watched with a small smirk when Techie figured out what he was supposed to do. The ginger opened up his mouth and pressed his tongue against his lower lip, waiting while Kylo sprinkled the small dust of herbs onto his tongue. Techie closed his mouth and tasted the herbs. They tasted a bit like earthen sage and rosemary, two of the only herbs Ma-Ma used in her Slow-Mo drug, and only because it was to enhance the drug’s earthy scent. Though Techie had never been forced to use Slow-Mo at any given time, he had been able to grab some of the abundance of smuggled dried herbs to put on his slave rations.

Techie found that he didn’t mind the taste of the herbs. It wasn’t long before he started feeling less nervous. Raising his bionic eyes to meet Kylo’s, he sighed when his Master pulled away to put the pouch to the side of him. Kylo then put his hands to rest lightly on his relaxed legs, right above the knees. Making sure he modeled his Master in hand and arm placement, Techie waited for more instruction.

“This form of meditation is basic and is the easiest to use when finding the Force within you and reveling in its fluid motions. Close your eyes, Techie and relax,” Kylo said softly, watching as his Apprentice did so. “Be patient and search within yourself to find the center of the Force. It can take various shapes, or not be a shape at all. Further in, will be your core. You will know what it is when you first see and feel it. Do not be upset if you don’t find it on your first attempt. Let me know if you do find it.”

“Ok,” Techie breathed out slowly. Licking his lips he let himself drift.

It was strange, not having such chaotic thoughts running around his head. He could still feel the comforting presence of his Master within his mind, and also further away, Hux. But everything was calmer, more muted and pleasant. Trying to remember how he had managed to find Kylo’s center the night before, he reached in a strangely inward direction. It felt all kinds of weird, and he almost got a bit creeped out at the feel of it.

Still, he tried further, wanting to do this. Whether or not he wanted to make Kylo proud of him, it didn’t really matter. What mattered is that in order to get through his mental training, he would have to learn to meditate. Kylo had told him the night before while Hux had still been in the shower that regardless of if he was pulled more to the Light or to the Dark Sides of the Force, he would need to find his center balance and learn to touch it. If he didn’t then he would have terrible issues trying to control his bursts of power. And what happened in the Surveillance room a few nights before would become a common occurrence.

Once he learned the feel and sense of his own Force powers within him, then he would be able to recognize how to use and manipulate it in some ways. It would also allow him to be able to understand his limits and what he could and couldn’t do. Reaching further in though felt weird and a bit uncomfortable. 

“That’s because you are trying to touch your mental core,” Kylo said in a whisper so he wouldn’t distract Techie too much from his task. “Your mental core is not used to being touched so it will feel odd until you get more practice. Take a few deep inhales and exhales before starting again.”

Techie breathed in and out slowly for a minute before he tried again, reaching inward. 

When he found nothing but a weird electrical feeling – almost like when static electricity shocked him. “I think I found it, but it’s not letting me touch it,” Techie huffed, his eyebrows drawing together in concentration. Forcing himself to stay relaxed, Techie tried again, this time reaching inward with a visual glove. Chewing on his lower lip, Techie started trembling with the effort to touch his inner core. 

Kylo watched his Apprentice patiently, carefully drifting on the outskirts of Techie’s mind. He’d step in, but only if Techie got too overwhelmed and frustrated. Otherwise, he was content to watch. After a few more minutes, Kylo murmured into his mind, _You are trying too hard, Techie. The goal of this lesson isn’t to have you fight against the Force within you. You’ll only end up frustrated and possibly having one supernova sized migraine. Instead, let the Force guide you through the currents._

 _But, I don’t know how to reach that far inside me. I keep trying to be relaxed and I know where to go, but I can’t touch it. It won’t let me,_ Techie protested, starting to breathe faster and getting upset.

 _Baby steps,_ Kylo reminded himself before he could start feeling annoyed. He forced himself to remember all the times he’d failed at this exercise before he’d finally found his way through it. 

_Keep trying, and each time you feel like you are going to start feeling frustrated, take a few deep breaths,_ Kylo soothed.

Once Techie calmed and repeated the process with no success for a good two hours, Kylo decided to intervene. He didn’t want his Apprentice to get discouraged because his inner core was trying to fight him. And Techie, though frustrated to the point of getting a bit red faced, was at least still trying. With a soft resigned sigh, Kylo decided on taking a different approach.

Perhaps if he assisted by touching Techie’s core, his Apprentice would see how it was done. Herbs and memories only did so much when it came to Force sensations and exercises. No doubt Techie was getting more overwhelmed because he could see glimpses of Kylo’s memories and thoughts and couldn’t replicate the actions yet. 

Techie whined, “Why can I touch your inner core easily but I can’t kriffing touch my _own_?” 

“Because I let you touch it. It’s sometimes easier touching someone else’s core than it is your own. I am not sure why.” His Master snickered slightly, but ended up tugging Techie to him so he could cuddle in his lap. Techie blinked his eyes wide as he suddenly found himself being embraced by his Master. Feeling a bit awkward at first, he slowly relaxed, letting his brain breathe for a bit.

After Kylo rubbed his back for a few minutes, he maneuvered himself to where Techie was sitting in the cradle of his legs, back up against the knight’s front. Techie at first didn’t know where to put his hands, or what to do, but then he felt Kylo run one large hand soothingly over his breastbone, right over his heart. The heat of his palm through his borrowed tunic and undershirt felt calming. Techie breathed in and out for a few minutes, taking comfort in his Master’s touch. He felt safe in Kylo’s arms, even if he still felt a bit awkward practically sitting in his lap. Settling for placing his hands on his knees, Techie leaned back up against his Master.

As he sat there, taking in deep breaths and letting them out in soft whooshes, he could almost feel his heartbeat, and then he definitely started feeling Kylo’s heartbeat where the knight’s chest was pressed up against his shoulder blades. It felt almost grounding, and when Kylo whispered, “Try again,” Techie was ready for it.

Techie did try, and this time, Kylo reached deep into his Apprentice’s mind and tugged the ginger’s mental hand where it needed to go. Techie let out a gasp, suddenly feeling electricity run through him and every part of his body, leaving tingles in its wake. But, though it still felt weird, the sensation wasn’t really bad. In fact, Techie felt himself starting to respond in certain inappropriate areas. 

“Wow,” Techie breathed, and then let out another gasp as Kylo put his mental hand over the ginger’s hand. With a slow downward motion, Kylo guided Techie’s hand in a gentle stroke.

Letting out a soft gulp of breath, Techie’s eyes flew open and he realized he was clutching Kylo’s physical hand against his breastbone. His heart was racing like mad, but as Kylo continued to guide him, Techie closed his eyes again and went boneless up against his Master’s chest, posture be damned. If he were a cat, Techie would have probably purred as the sensation of rubbing against his own mental core started feeling good. _Really_ good.

Kylo continued to guide Techie like that for several minutes, getting the other male used to his own mental touch. Though incredibly intimate as this feeling was, Kylo could sense that Techie didn’t mind. Techie’s thoughts were washing over him, and Kylo was pleased to note that the man wasn’t in pain and wasn’t scared. 

_I think I know now why it wasn’t letting me touch it,_ Techie mused to Kylo. _I was letting my fear get to me._

 _Fear of pain, or the unknown?_ Kylo quested, though he already knew the answer.

Techie had to speak it. He had to admit this to himself, this weakness. Once he did, then he would be able to rationalize it, and eventually learn to overcome it. _I guess I was afraid that it might hurt. I know when you touched it a few nights ago, it didn’t hurt. It felt strange, but you did your best not to hurt me any more than I already was. And I know when I touched your core it didn’t hurt you either._

Far from it.

_I guess I was just afraid it might be too intense, and I’d hurt myself unintentionally._

_To fear one’s own strength is not a bad thing, Techie. But I’ll let you in on a little secret. If you touch your inner core too hard the only thing that happens is that you end up orgasming._

_Really?_

_Yes._

_Does it feel like…._

_Like what?_

_….._

_Like what? Say it._

_Like when masturbating?_

“Better,” Kylo whispered. He nuzzled into Techie’s neck, nosing away the longer hair, and kissed the skin there lightly. Breathing in Techie’s spicy scent, Kylo enjoyed the intoxication for one long moment. 

Pulling himself and Techie out of the ginger’s innermost area of his mind, Kylo murmured, “And I’d show you just how good it feels, but then we wouldn’t be able to make any progress in your training. Maybe I’ll help you with that later, but not now.”

“But, I am going to need to practice,” Techie protested with a mock disappointed look on his face. He turned his head to meet Kylo’s amused gaze. 

“Yes, which is why I want you to try again, only this time, without my help,” Kylo said, removing his hand from Techie’s sternum. “Now that you know how to reach your core, and the Force current emitting from it, I want you to practice just feeling it surround you, letting it guide you. In short, meditate.”

Techie sighed, feeling a bit put out, but did as he was told. 

\-----------------------------------------------

One thing Techie learned that day was that meditation _sucked_. It wasn’t that he got frustrated or irritated as time went by. Nor was it the fact that every time he touched his mental core, he felt like jacking off. No, the reason why Techie hated meditating was that it _bored_ the hell out of him. Once he got used to the electric feel of the Force within him, and was able to truly meditate, he couldn’t stop himself from fidgeting. The herbs only could help so much in keeping him calm.

It didn’t help that Kylo insisted on Techie practicing just meditating for the rest of the day. It didn’t particularly feel like a waste of time – Techie knew that meditation was a very valid starting point in mental Force fitness. But, by the time Hux came to join them, Techie was about ready to take what was left of his brain and throw it into a garbage compactor. At least then his brain would be crushed and he wouldn’t have to deal with the monotony and dullness of meditating. Or the exhaustion that came with it.

Kylo said softly, “You may rest, Techie, while I show Hux how to block the bond of ours without hurting either one of us.”

Techie let out a moan, collapsing on his back on the meditation mat. His ginger hair fanned around his face, though a great deal of it was sweat soaked due to his mental exercises. “Give me a minute and you can show me too.” Techie rubbed the sweat from his face, instinctively rubbing his eyelids.

Remembering he wasn’t supposed to do that because they were still healing, Techie stretched his arms out away from his face and yawned. Kylo shook his head as Hux came to sit down next the two, wearing his workout clothes consisting of a sleeveless dark grey military undershirt and a pair of black loose fitted leggings. Hux took in the sight of Techie looking absolutely exhausted, though determined, and licked his lips. “Techie, maybe you should rest for a bit? Just seeing you sprawled out like that, looking like someone broke your brain, is making me feel more fatigued than I already am.”

When Techie didn’t protest, just laid there resting, absently reaching down to rub his tummy a bit, Kylo nodded slowly. “You did very well today, Techie. Tomorrow, if you do as well, then I might consider moving on to mental exercises that will help you block.”

Techie yawned again and said tiredly, “Ok.”

“Well, then, shall we get started?” Hux asked, the ginger putting himself into full lotus position.

Techie arched a brow and muttered, “Cheater.”

Hux rolled his eyes, though fondly, “I know how to meditate, Techie, even if it’s not the same as what you and Kylo have been working on. Since I am not a Force sensitive, I don’t necessarily need instruction on what you both have covered today. I don’t meditate the normal way often because I don’t have the time to, usually.”

“He knows. He’s just tired and a little cranky. He’s had to start using mental proverbial muscles that he’s never used before. And he’s starting to get bored,” Kylo said with a small smile. Then he reached over and brushed some hair away from his Apprentice’s face, saying softly, “Perhaps after you have rested, and Hux has had his lesson, we can do some inner Force stimulation together.”

That caused Techie to lick his chapped lips, his eyes whirring suspiciously at his Master. “You promise you won’t be too brain dead to show us?”

Kylo nodded, “Promise. A Master should give his Apprentices rewards when they achieve expectations or have worked hard.”

Techie flushed and rubbed his temples a bit. “Thank you, Master.”

“Inner Force stimulation?” Hux asked before he remembered he still had access to Kylo’s thoughts.

It had been an incredibly busy day on the bridge and in making his rounds of the Finalizer for routine checkups. He’d barely had time to check in with Kylo and Techie, but perhaps that was a good thing considering the two had been hard at work in training. When Kylo practically projected the memory of what happened with Techie earlier, Hux swallowed, suddenly feeling a bit aroused himself. “And I am able to do that, too?”

“Everything has the Force, Hux. You may not be able to use it like Force users, but you are able to touch your mental core with guidance from one of us. Would you like to try it?” Kylo asked.

“If I am not too brain dead – as Techie puts it, then I am not opposed to it,” Hux said with a small smirk. Then he got a determined look on his face. “Now that that has been settled; what do you want me to do?”

\-------------------------------------

Kylo instructed, “Think of it this way: your mind is a fortress and it can’t be breached unless you willingly allow us in. Since you already have allowed us in, just push us as far away as you can and close the gate.”

“Or pull up the drawbridge,” Hux said with a small smirk. Back on Arkanis before his father shipped him away from his mother, Hux remembered hearing a few bedtime stories of old castles and fortresses. He didn’t have many memories of his mother. Of what he did remember was a soft, soothing voice, and of course, fragments of the tales when she sung him to sleep.

“That’ll work,” Kylo nodded. “Just make sure that when you do it, push us away first if you can. You’ve been able to push Techie away from your mind somewhat – but not far enough for a block to be enforced painlessly. If you block too soon, the result could be _unpleasant_.”

“Like what happened yesterday when you blocked us,” Hux mused, keeping his tone light and introspective, not accusatorial. 

Kylo licked his lips and huffed softly, not at all offended or embarrassed when he affirmed, “Yes.”

“Sounds feasible.” Hux rubbed the bridge of his nose a bit before he added, “The objective is just to keep the mind closed off, but have the bond still thriving.”

“Precisely.” Kylo shrugged, “Rejecting Force bonds don’t work so well unless you want to feel like having an arm or a leg ripped off by a Rathtar.”

Cringing slightly at that colorful morbid imagery, Hux said with a disgusted grimace, “Even I wouldn’t want to try that. I rather enjoy having all of my limbs on my person intact. No, it’s best not to try and destroy the bond.”

Techie, getting a bit uncomfortable laying on the mat on his back, slowly peeled himself up into a sitting position. A large yawn engulfed his face, though he tried unsuccessfully to cover it with his fist. Rubbing the back of his neck, the ginger watched his Master and the General go back and forth. Despite still feeling like his brain was mush, Techie still found their discussion interesting, if not a bit entertaining as well. 

“Indeed,” Kylo said with a smirk. “Are you ready to begin?”

When Hux nodded slowly, Kylo told him, “Very well. Close your eyes, concentrate on the areas where you find our bonds are at. Once you find one, slowly push against the awareness as much as you can, but not the bond itself.”

Hux began as instructed, and instinctively reached for the two mental bond threads – which were more like ropes now, and lightly plucked on Kylo’s. Kylo snorted and rolled his eyes, but said nothing. 

Trying to figure out how to find a way to push away the fiery branded awareness that was Kylo, the General tried to shove him. Unfortunately, all he managed to do was probe both the Force bond and awareness hard. The result this time was Kylo hissing, eyes flaring instant swirling gold. Clenching his hands into fists on top of his legs, Kylo trembled through the invasive touch. This wasn’t like Hux’s other light touches on the bond whenever he reached out to find the knight or Techie. This was intense and nearly tore at Kylo’s sanity.

“I’m doing it all wrong, aren’t I?” Hux asked, feeling a bit irritated.

“No, it’s just….” Kylo licked his lips, “Try not doing that to the Force bond if you don’t want me pressing your face into a wall and fucking you until you pass out. Leave it alone. Only concentrate on my awareness, not the bond.”

“ _Karking_ hell, Ren,” Hux breathed, catching Kylo’s scent. The spike of arousal had been so high, that Hux was impressed that the other male hadn’t come yet. Then, realizing what he must have done, he opened his eyes and regarded Kylo, who was trembling slightly, but was otherwise calming down. “So by inner Force stimulation…. Would it be something close to this?”

“Hux!”

“I am just _curious_ , Ren, no need to get all bent out of shape about it.”

“My shape is **fine**. Just don’t mess with the bond like that.”

“Like what? This?”

“Stop. Fucking. With. The. Bond.”

“But you seem to enjoy it.”

“That’s not the point, and you know it, Hux.”

“But it’s so _fascinating_.”

“If you aren’t going to take this lesson seriously, then leave.”

“I am taking this…. _Very_ seriously. I am very anxious and willing to learn everything you want to teach me, and more.”

“Then you will be very _anxious_ and **willing** to wait until later when it comes to this. Otherwise that will be the ONLY thing you learn tonight.”

“You don’t have to be so hostile about it. I am just an eager student waiting to be taught a lesson. And why should you care if I change up the curriculum a bit?”

“Uh, Hux, if you want to keep your ass **intact** , you might not want to tease Master Kylo like that.” Techie couldn’t help it. Kylo looked like he was about ready to eat Hux. Though he knew that Hux probably wouldn’t have any complaints at all in that, there was a reason why Kylo was taking the time to teach the ginger how to block. There was also the fact that his Master hadn’t let him enjoy carnal pleasures at all during his lessons today, so shouldn’t it be the same way for Hux? “And it’s not fair if you get him to snap in five minutes when I have been trying really hard to get him to all day and he hasn’t budged an _inch_.”

Oops, he said that aloud, didn’t he? Then again, the other two men could read his thoughts, so it wasn’t like he knew how to hide it from them. _Yet_ , anyways.

“Oh, you poor thing, Techie.” Hux stared in mock horror at Kylo, “You big brute. Why did you put Techie through all that unresolved tension for so long? That’s _cruel_. Even Techie, though he likes to hold off on giving in to pleasure, shouldn’t have to wait an entire day.”

“I hate you.”

“Very mature, Ren.”

“Enough. Either sit through the lesson _MY_ way or leave without me teaching you anything.”

 _Oh but I have learned something tonight, Ren. I know what really makes you on edge,_ Hux teased, before he sighed and allowed, “Very well. I suppose if Techie can wait, then so can I.”

Techie breathed out a sigh of relief in a whoosh. The tension in the room dissolved slowly after that, though it still took Kylo a few long minutes before his fists unclenched and his eyes turned back to dark brown. Licking his lips, Kylo said softly, “Try again. And if you touch the bond like that again before the lesson is over, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

“I said I can wait, Ren,” Hux said with an arched brow before he sighed deeply and closed his eyes.

\-----------------------------------------------------

After a few long hours of trying to shove the awareness that was Kylo and not the bond itself, Hux finally managed to push him further away, but not far enough to warrant a block without hurting the Force user. It was frustratingly slow work, and even Hux had to admit that it sounded easier in his head than actually doing it. Kylo was like a slave driver however, persistent, yet patient. Despite their earlier hiccup in their lesson, Kylo had settled in to the form of a teacher quite well.

Hux wasn’t sure if Kylo was a good teacher or a bad one, but he’d had way worse back at the Academy, so there was that.

“Hux, you are getting better, but you aren’t trying hard enough,” Kylo sighed deeply, trying to think of a different way of going about this.

“Easy for you to say, Ren. You are Force sensitive and have been doing this for years, not just a few hours,” Hux rubbed his temples tiredly. He fully understood now why Techie had looked about ready to rip his own head off earlier at the end of his own lesson with the knight.

Mental work was exhausting. 

Speaking of the former technician, Techie had decided to go take a hot shower and change before heading back to join them. Now dressed in a pair of drawstring dark grey casual slacks and a long sleeved neon green shirt with a pair of matching socks, Techie was starting to feel a bit hungry. It wasn’t that much later than dinner time everywhere else on the ship, but apparently mental workouts were just as strenuous as physical ones. Snatching up a small health bar and a few bottles of water from the kitchen, the ginger padded downstairs and handed his Master some water. Sitting down nearby, Techie nibbled on the health bar and sipped his water, noting that the General and his Master looked fatigued, and a bit irritated but otherwise resilient. 

Kylo drank some water before he told Hux pointedly, “I may have way more experience, yes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish this. If it helps any, you can focus on your prior hatred of me and push me away that way.”

“That would be a good idea if it weren’t for the fact that I don’t feel that way anymore,” Hux sighed, “It would be like trying to lie to my brain. It’s different when putting on a show. Mentally I am still me but physically I act as before.”

“I’m shocked and touched, Hux. To think that you are starting to _care_ about me, it almost makes me want to check your temperature to make sure you aren’t sick,” Kylo had the grace to smirk before he chewed on his lower lip and tried to think of another option available. 

“Don’t let it go to your head,” Hux chided, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “And it’s not so much as ‘caring’, it’s more along the lines of recognizing that you are a stepping stone in helping me reach my goals. Without you, I’d have to find someone else to step on in order to get to the next level, which would be a hassle.”

“Coming from you that’s like a declaration of love,” Kylo teased, huffing in amusement at Hux rolling his eyes in response.

Techie thought for a moment before he scooched up to sit closer to both men, wondering if he should voice his opinion or if he should stay quiet. When both Kylo and Hux looked at him with interest, he finally decided to might as well try and help, “Well, if you both are feeling different about eachother – which you are, then maybe focus on that instead? Like, Hux – try to believe that if you don’t push Kylo away he’ll die or be maimed or something. It seemed to work with you pushing me away yesterday, Hux. You tried to keep me from feeling so much of your pain, and even earlier when you were at your meeting with the Supreme Leader you pushed me away to keep me safe.”

Kylo arched a brow, but shrugged, “It could work. Fear is a great motivator.”

“And here I thought you were going to help me get rid of my fears….” Hux teased lightly before he closed his eyes and tried to do as Techie suggested. He envisioned Kylo being captured by the Resistance, and when that really didn’t do anything besides making Hux tense, the General tried something darker. Envisioning himself being the one captured with a Force user trying to break into his mind made him feel a bit more uneasy, but didn’t do the desired effect. And then he thought of the enemy Force user possibly using him to get to Kylo to torture him and kill him. The sudden feeling of possibly losing Kylo made Hux let out a soft gasp. 

The resulting reaction was immediate. He instinctively shoved.

Hard.

So hard that Kylo flew across the room and slammed into a wall, his body covered in flecks of frost. Hux blinked open his eyes and realized that he was standing now and that Kylo was on the other side of the training room. Techie jumped up and quickly looked over Hux to make sure the _dhampyre_ was ok before he raced over to his Master. Hux followed, though in truth, he wasn’t that worried.

Kylo was nothing, if not tough as durasteel. 

Kylo rubbed his face, absently noting that a thick layer of frost covered almost his entire front side of his body. Apparently, when properly motivated, Hux could manipulate harsh cold weather products. If he could manipulate blizzard Force wind and frost, then perhaps he could do so with ice and snow. 

Reaching out to touch Hux’s mind, he was shocked when he found that he was well and truly blocked. The bond was still there and thriving, but he couldn’t access the other man’s thoughts. Techie reached over and brushed off some of the frost from Kylo’s shoulder in wonder. 

“Are you ok, Kylo?” Techie asked, absently noting that Kylo’s eyebrows and eyelashes were covered with small frost-icicles. The look was pretty comical, and Techie would have found humor in the situation if not for the fact that Kylo was trembling.

Kylo wasn’t scared of Hux, or worried about what had happened. No, it was more along the lines that the Force user was _cold_. When Kylo nodded slightly, Techie decided on impulse to hug his Master to try and get him to warm up. 

As Hux joined them, Techie was in the process of glomping his Master, though the other ginger let out a soft eep at the cold feeling of frost penetrating his now casual adorned clothing and bare hands.

Taking note with an assessing look that Kylo was more or less unharmed, just freezing, Hux let out a slow breath. “I guess fear is quite the motivator. But, I don’t like doing it. The result was effective, and it was oh so fun slamming you into walls, however, I’d rather achieve it some other and less distressing way.”

“Same,” Kylo said, wrapping his arms around his now shivering first Apprentice. “At least you know how it can happen in certain situations. The bond itself might ensure you wanting us both protected and unharmed, but you will need to learn how that trigger can help you push without fear.”

“Yes,” Hux affirmed. After watching both Techie and Kylo shiver for another moment, he sighed and tugged both to him in a dismal effort to help warm both up. Though he often had trouble maintaining his own body heat – especially now that his true nature was out in the open without his suppressant, he was able to help in this at least a little bit. Afterwards though, Techie would need to get himself warm while Kylo and himself took hot showers. Or, the other man could take another shower. There was also the fact that Kylo still had some plans for inner Force stimulation as well – so that definitely would warm all three of them up quite nicely, depending on how the rest of the evening went. 

“Did you have any idea you could manipulate frost?” Kylo asked, though he already knew the answer.

“No. Never been my true self long enough to figure out the full cusp of my darker powers,” Hux admitted, though he smirked slightly. “At least I got you back for the Force shove last night, Kylo.”

Kylo snorted and rolled his eyes. Techie sniggered at their antics, but then noted that the three of them were still cold. Granted, Kylo was slowly warming up, but way too slowly in Techie’s opinion. So, he pulled away slightly and gave his Master a determined look. Kylo arched a brow but then sighed in amusement when his Apprentice leaned in for a kiss. 

Letting out a soft moan, Kylo melted under Techie’s lips. The slight feel of static was there, but wasn’t too electric yet. When Techie tongued the crease of his lips, the knight reached up and cradled the back of his head. As soon as the ginger’s tongue touched his, Kylo felt his resistance being zapped away, making him ache for more. So much more. Techie let out a keen as something deep within him snapped. Emotions flooded through him with electric flames, and when Kylo pulled away just a bit to tug on his bottom lip, Techie all but tackled his master. 

Hux watched in aroused amusement, reaching over to push the other male’s hair out of his face so he could see the ginger’s emotions better. The kiss was deep and from the way Kylo was reacting, it was a very good kiss. Not being able to keep himself idle as he watched, Hux leaned in and kissed the other ginger’s pretty neck, thankful that the shirt Techie had changed into had a regular neckline. 

Techie pulled away from Kylo’s lips, but then he turned and did something Hux was totally not expecting. He tackled Hux to the wall next to Kylo and kissed him hard. 

Kylo let out a soft huff of surprised laughter. 

Apparently, Techie was done waiting.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Techie kissed Hux like a demon possessed, letting out soft frustrated moans as the General felt his fangs slide down completely in response to his attentions. Techie was inexperienced in kissing, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how to, or how to make it passionate. After getting over his initial shock, Hux found himself kissing the other ginger back, with just as much fervor. Reaching out to run his hands over the other male’s back and sides, Hux let Techie practically devour his mouth for one long moment before switching the roles.

Techie let out a choked moan when Hux suddenly reached up and took his face into his hands, licking into the other ginger’s mouth to dominate the next few kisses. As each kiss ended, another one began, Techie letting out ragged mewls and gasps of desire as the electric fire within his veins threatened to consume him. Then he pricked his tongue on Hux’s fangs and let out a hiss as Hux suddenly latched onto it. Hux swallowed a few more moans, tasting Techie’s blood for the first time.

It tasted a bit like Kylo’s, but had a sharper tang to it. Either way it went, Techie’s blood tasted delicious. Absently he noted Kylo advancing behind Techie, carefully running his hands over the Apprentice’s sides to ensure not to startle the other man. Techie moaned at the feel of four hands on his person. He could feel the heat rising and radiating off of his Master standing so close behind him, and the rising warmth of Hux as he reached down to grip the ginger’s hips. 

Pulling away for breath, Techie bit his lower lip and closed his eyes, giving in to a shudder of pure pleasure at the feel of Kylo placing gentle kisses on his neck and nosing away some of his long hair for better access. Kylo breathed in Techie’s scent, finding himself unable to resist the temptation. 

“This….Hux… is what inner Force stimulation looks like….” Kylo whispered, his voice wrecked as he reached out mentally and rubbed up against Techie’s inner core, harsher than he had earlier. 

Techie let out a loud cry, reaching out to brace himself up against the wall, effectively caging the General in front of him. Kylo let out a gasp in answer, taking a few seconds to swallow and collect himself against the onslaught of feeling Techie so intimately, in such a heightened erotic state. This time, when he rubbed Techie’s core again, he took his Apprentice’s mental hand with him, so he could feel dual sensation. 

When he pressed down harder, Techie let out a loud wail, hitting an earthshattering climax, the feel of electricity running all over his skin and through his blood. His legs nearly gave out then, and Hux took hold again of those hips in front of him to help brace the other man. Hux breathed out a few pants in arousal, smelling the combined scents of both Force sensitives’ desire. 

Techie had come hard, almost to the point of blacking out, but curiously enough the other ginger was still hard. It was as if he hadn’t come physically. Just mentally. From the looks of things, Kylo hadn’t come physically either. Not knowing what to think of this new juicy piece of information, Hux watched as Techie panted hard, sweat dripping down his cheek to trickle down his neck. 

“So beautiful,” Hux breathed, leaning in to kiss Techie on the lips first before doing the same to Kylo, who was also panting.

 _See, Techie, this is why it’s better than masturbating,_ Kylo whispered into Techie’s mind. _You can come as many times as you want, but not have to worry about the physical mess until you’ve stimulated yourself almost to the point of pain._

 _What happens then?_ Techie asked shakily, his body still tingling from the stimulation.

 _Then you either black out or come both mentally and physically,_ Kylo said huskily.

 _Shit,_ Techie breathed, leaning his head back up against Kylo’s shoulder. His Master nibbled one of his ears, but otherwise kept still, mentally and physically to give himself and Techie a chance to calm down some.

“Alright, let’s get into a bed – I don’t care who’s, and finish this lesson, shall we?” Hux suggested, licking his lips and eyes flickering red. The wall around his thoughts fell and both Force sensitives gasped in relief. “Oh dear, that happened, didn’t it? Sorry if it hurt, me raising it up so fast.”

“We’ll work on it,” Kylo said with a small smile.

When Techie nearly stumbled up the stairs to the main floor of the Ren Corridor, Kylo decided this once to go ahead and humor his Apprentice. Techie deserved it after the hard work he’d put in today. Techie let out an embarrassed squeak when his Master suddenly picked him up and carried him up the stairs to the ginger’s bedroom, Hux following diligently in his wake. Clutching the knight’s shoulders like a lifeline, Techie craned his head around to look at Hux over Kylo’s shoulders. Hux snorted slightly, but otherwise didn’t comment.

Once they got to Techie’s room, Kylo opened the door with the Force, causing Hux to ask him softly, “Do you always use the Force on trivial things?”

“Why not?” Kylo arched a brow. “If it’s convenient, why shouldn’t I use it?”

Hux sighed and gave up on that battle, watching Kylo set Techie down on still shaky legs. The fact that Techie still hadn’t recovered from the inner Force stimulation earlier made Hux’s mouth water. If Techie felt like that, how would he feel once Kylo helped him do the same thing? From the looks of things, Techie might not have enough brain power left in his head to do much else besides watch again tonight. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but eventually Hux hoped that the other ginger would be able to participate in his and Kylo’s excursions. 

He’d just have to be patient. Plus, he didn’t want to push Techie into doing something he wasn’t ready for – regardless of how much he seemed to want it during a spur of the moment decision. Techie flopped himself onto his bed soon after, too brain dead to really care what his Master or the General thought of his quarters. It would have boggled his mind usually to think about the total irony of it being the first time using his own bed – with the company of Hux and Kylo as well, but he was way too tired to ponder on that right now. 

Kylo and Hux looked around the space quickly before heading in to join Techie in the long haired ginger’s bedroom. “This place has potential, Techie,” Hux commented softly, reaching over to run his fingers over the other male’s arm in a soothing motion. 

“Thank you; yea, it does,” Techie mumbled, yawning tiredly, his eyelids going half-mast.

He’d been so busy the past day and a half that he’d hadn’t been able really to decide what to do with his rooms. The bare black walls seemed a bit depressing, but Techie wasn’t really one for decorating or anything like that. Then again, it’s not like he’d been able to in his past. He guessed he could put up some of his wire figurines on one of the bookcases, and maybe unpack a few tiny box droids he had tinkered with. Otherwise he really didn’t have anything when it came to personal effects. 

Now that he was getting a nicer stipend in his monthly pay, perhaps he could afford to look at some items the next time they were stationed at a sizeable base. 

Kylo came up from behind Hux, reaching over to engulf the other male in an embrace. He nuzzled the ginger’s neck and asked softly, “Do you need to eat?”

That definitely was a loaded question.

After swallowing and feeling his incisors ache, he craned his head around to look at Kylo in the eye. “I wouldn’t be opposed to it, but it’s not necessary yet. You are still recovering from my bite the other day.” He reached over his shoulder to rub the small fading marks on Kylo’s neck.

“I can start taking blood replenishing supplements,” Kylo suggested, catching Techie’s intrigued gaze from the bed. 

Techie chewed on his lower lip and truly thought about it before he offered, “I can, too. If that would help?”

Hux turned his attention back to Techie and felt his eyes flicker red in interest. Licking his lips, Hux took a deep breath of the other ginger’s scent, noting that there was still arousal from earlier, but not much now due to how tired the man was. With a deep sigh, Hux pulled away from Kylo and got onto the bed next to Techie. Techie made to try and prop himself up on his elbows, but Hux stayed his movement with a gentle but firm palm on the other man’s sternum. 

Flopping back down and relaxing against his new comforter and pillows, Techie huffed out a whoosh of air. Hux murmured lightly, “Not tonight, Techie.”

“Why not?” Techie asked, trying to stifle a yawn. “I might be tired, but I don’t mind.”

“You aren’t just tired, Techie, you are _exhausted_. Perhaps the next time I need to feed I can take you up on your offer. For tonight, I will indulge in a small feeding from Kylo to tide me through for another few days. By then, if you aren’t too tired, and are still willing, I will taste you,” Though Hux’s tone was light, his words were seductive, and if Techie wasn’t so brain dead he’d feel more than a twitch coming from his cock.

“Ok,” Techie yawned again, though he did point out, “But what about you learning the rest of your lesson?”

“I don’t see why we can’t do both, if Techie doesn’t mind watching again tonight?” Kylo suggested, getting onto the bed and peeling off his boots. 

“Not one bit. Plus it would be educational to watch Hux feed,” Techie said, rubbing his face a bit in a valiant effort to stay alert. He definitely didn’t want to miss this for the universe, no matter how tired he was.

Hux snorted at that, but leaned over and pecked the other man on the forehead, “Thank you for understanding, Techie.”

“It’s not a rejection, though, right?” Techie asked, suddenly feeling a bit vulnerable. “You really will want to taste my blood, right?”

“Techie…..” Hux breathed out in exasperation, though as he looked into Techie’s bionic blue eyes, he knew that this was important to the other ginger. Regardless of the fact that Techie could read his thoughts and know his feelings, the Apprentice needed the words said. 

Reassurance was key for Techie. 

So, Hux affirmed, “I meant what I said, Techie. My fangs will be in your skin soon enough.”

Techie let out a slow breath and licked his lips, whispering, “Ok.”


	8. Haze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warnings on this chapter besides lots of fluff/angst/smut. Enjoy !

### Chapter 8: Haze 

The knight reached down and unhooked his belt and lightsaber, setting them both close to the bed, but far enough away that they wouldn’t cause anyone to trip if there was a middle of the night refresher break. Hux pulled off his shirt, watching Kylo do the same with his tunic, though the other man kept his black undershirt on for some strange reason. The General reached over and ran his fingers over one of Kylo’s arms as the man straightened. The knight’s skin twitched slightly, and Hux breathed in a deep shaky breath, feeling an intense carnal urge to map out and taste every single inch of the knight’s body.

“Hold on a minute,” Kylo said, leaning in to peck Hux on the lips. He padded barefoot out of the room, causing Techie and Hux to both arch their eyebrows in confusion.

After a few minutes, Kylo returned, but he wasn’t empty handed. In one hand he had a small bottle of lube, and in the other hand he had a bottle of a creamy white looking substance. “Helps to be prepared,” He nodded to Hux. Tossing the bottle of lube to Hux, smirking when the other man caught it easily with one hand, Kylo got onto the bed and nudged Techie to move up a bit.

“Also, I didn’t forget this, Techie,” Kylo unscrewed the bottle of white substance. 

Techie sighed softly, now understanding what the bottle was for, and heaved himself up the bed a few inches before he flopped back down. His bionic eyes whirred in interest as Kylo leaned a bit to hover over him, but not straddle him. The position must have been awkward, and Techie couldn’t help but lick his lips as he watched Kylo’s muscles bunch up underneath his sleeveless undershirt. 

“If I wasn’t so tired, Master, I’d want to lick you all over,” Techie breathed, flushing slightly at the bold lack of brain to mouth filter. 

Kylo slowly looked up through his eyelashes at Techie, saying softly, “I should get you tired more often, Techie, if you are this blunt.”

Techie laughed softly, feeling a bit sheepish, but also not really caring.

Hux snorted, though he definitely would love to eventually see something like what Techie had in mind. Undoing his pants and slicking his cock and hands up with lube, Hux watched for a long moment before shucking off his offending garments including his briefs. The _dhampyre_ , now fully naked, maneuvered himself to where he was sitting behind Kylo and lightly nudged Techie’s feet apart so he could settle on the bed. He tugged on Kylo’s undershirt and the Force sensitive rolled his eyes in exasperation, “Do you mind?”

“This? Yes, I do. It needs to get off of you. Don’t make me rip it off of you,” Hux warned, fangs sliding down completely and eyes flooding to full black slitted crimson. He ran his hands over Kylo’s sides and tugged on the ends of the knight’s undershirt, tracing his growing claws underneath the fabric slightly. “Plus, Techie has been such a good boy today, hasn’t he? So let’s make sure he gets the view he deserves, mmm?”

“Please,” Techie hissed, squirming slightly as his cock suddenly started getting hard again. 

Apparently some parts of him were waking up despite pure exhaustion taking hold of the rest of him. Techie figured it must be adrenaline, or just residual active libido from not being able to come physically earlier. Either way it went, Techie was agreeing mentally with Hux. The undershirt of Kylo’s needed to come off.

Kylo arched a brow, and finally said, “It can wait until I administer Techie’s tattoo removal cream.”

Hux sighed softly and lisped with deadly intent, “Better administer it quick before I start shredding.”

“Why Hux, I thought you liked not paying so much in expenses. What’s with the change of heart so suddenly?” Kylo smirked, leaning more over Techie to dab some of the cream over the crude ‘Male’ tattoo on the ginger’s temple.

Hux growled softly, “You keep assuming I have a heart, Ren. Get that silly notion out of your head. And the First Order wouldn’t be amiss of a few credits to have your shirt replaced – it looks almost a million years old anyways. You actually have some holes near the edges.”

Kylo rolled his eyes. Hux and his weird ironic sense of frugal priorities.

Techie tried to stay still, though having his Master in such close proximity with that gorgeous physique made it almost torturous to do so. Hux was no better, with his flaming red eyes and fangs peeking out from between his lips. Those claws that now adorned the _dhampyre’s_ fingers were also looking way too delectable running lightly over Kylo’s sides and ass.

The coolness of the cream made Techie scrunch up his nose slightly at the feel, but otherwise the application was painless. “How long will it be until the tattoo is gone?” Techie asked, licking his lips.

Kylo shrugged, letting out a slow hiss when Hux reached around his torso to tease his nipples through the undershirt. Gritting his teeth, Kylo answered, “It really depends on how deep the brand is. At the most – _kriff, Hux_ …. – at the most, it would be a few weeks. Or it could be gone tomorrow.”

Hux smiled apologetically at Techie over Kylo’s shoulder as the Force sensitive leaned back to brace his ass onto the backs of his ankles. Techie gave Hux a slow wink before he reached out and tugged his Master back down for a slow kiss in thanks. Kylo let out a huff in amusement before he kissed Techie back, deliberately being as slow as possible. Hux let out a snort at the Force sensitive’s action, but bided his time. 

Techie may be exhausted, but that didn’t mean he didn’t still have needs and wants. If he was up for a bit of kissing and perhaps some touching, then Hux wasn’t going to deny him the pleasure – regardless of how hungry he was starting to get. The smell of arousal and healthy flowing blood was thick in the air, which was making his head spin. 

The option of trying inner Force stimulation was definitely something to look forward to as well. Despite the desire and bloodlust starting to rise quickly in his veins, Hux was content enough to wait for Techie’s sake. Plus, there was a nice clothed ass in front of him that Hux was enjoying raking his claws over.

 _The way you both are fighting over my attention is making me seriously want to fuck you both until you drop,_ Kylo hummed softly, pulling away slightly to look deep into Techie’s eyes.

Techie let out a small whimper of pure lust at that soft seduction. Hux hissed out a slow breath, dirty images flowing around his head evilly. Kylo was definitely playing a dangerous game with them both, but Hux wouldn’t have it any other way.

Kylo’s hands moved to brace himself over Techie, effectively caging the other man awkwardly. When Techie didn’t move, or seem alarmed in any way shape or form, Kylo slowly straddled the ginger’s hips to get into a more comfortable position. Kylo settled himself, lowering his body slightly and letting out a gasp at the feel of Techie’s hardened cock rubbing against his balls through the fabric of their clothes. Techie let out a slow shaky breath, but then deciding that he liked this – liked it a lot, the Apprentice reached up and ran his fingers through his Master’s hair. His tongue darted out to wet his chapped lips, and Kylo leaned in to kiss him again, this time chasing that tongue into Techie’s mouth.

Electricity sizzled between them both, causing Techie to mewl in contentment, and Kylo to rumble possessively. Kylo swallowed Techie’s noises and slowly devoured the ginger’s mouth for a long few minutes before he pulled away, knowing from their connection that his Apprentice was pushing himself to the limit of his adrenaline. And though it would be flattering to Kylo to have the other male pass out due to passion and pleasure, he knew that Techie wouldn’t be happy about missing any part of tonight. So, he placed a few more kisses on Techie’s lips before he pulled away and straightened.

Hux let out a purring growl of approval when Kylo peeled off his undershirt and threw it in the direction of his discarded tunic. Running his hands and claws all over Kylo’s front torso and sides, Hux nuzzled the Force sensitive’s neck, finding the small pinprick marks he’d bestowed upon the other man a few nights before. It seemed like forever ago that things had changed between them and not just a few days.

Their relationship was proceeding at an alarming rate, but Hux didn’t want to think or care about that fact.

All he wanted to do right now was concentrate on renewing his mark of possession on Kylo and finish his lesson before washing up for the night. Kylo craned his neck a bit so he could share in a slow kiss with Hux, reaching up to intertwine his fingers with the General’s, bathing in the feelings of being wanted and needed. He’d never thought that something like this would be possible, or that it would feel this good. It felt so good to finally have some people understand him in ways no one else could. 

Even the Supreme Leader didn’t hold a candle of understanding the way Hux and Techie now could. It was a heady feeling, and Kylo felt possessive and needy over it and over the other two members of their triad. 

Techie and Hux were sharing similar feelings and thoughts, and for one long moment of rare sentimentality, Kylo felt a small stab of fear. Not unlike Hux and perhaps even Techie, Kylo didn’t want to lose any one of them. Pushing away the strange feeling, Kylo pulled away from Hux’s welcoming lips and bared his neck to the _dhampyre_ , his dark eyes meeting Techie’s knowing gaze.

Techie reached up and ran his palms over Kylo’s sides, feeling a bit mind blown that he was actually doing this, and that his Master and Hux actually wanted him to do this. They were including him in their play, and though it seemed a bit trivial and fair in a normal triad – if normal was a relative term, it meant everything to Techie. Trying hard not to think too much about it, the Apprentice concentrated on feeling Kylo’s skin underneath his fingers, smelling the combined musky and snowy scents of both of his Masters, and seeing the hot picture the two made.

“Masters….” Hux purred softly against Kylo’s skin, looking over the other man’s shoulder at Techie. “I find I like the label. But, why do you think I am a Master as well, Techie?”

Techie shrugged, “I don’t know. It just feels right to think it and feel that way. Though I think it probably would be best if I only call Kylo Master verbally, otherwise it might get confusing.”

“Understandable,” Hux nodded, though he then whispered, “Though I wouldn’t mind once in a while that you called me it in private.”

“Don’t let it go to your head, Master Hux,” Techie smirked, resting his palms on Kylo’s hips.

Kylo rolled his eyes and muttered, “That starship sailed already, Techie.”

Hux narrowed his black slitted red gaze at Kylo, but then leaned in to nip at his shoulder in retaliation. Kylo flinched slightly but otherwise didn’t comment again. Slowly licking the small reddened area on Kylo’s skin, Hux nuzzled over into the crook of the Force sensitive’s neck so he could breathe in his scent. The smell of arousal was still thick in the air. Fresh pumping mouthwatering blood running through Kylo’s veins made Hux want to get on with feeding immediately. So, without further distractions or conversation, Hux licked the area around Kylo’s fading bite marks and let out a ragged keen of want. The bloodlust and intense hunger washed over him, taking his breath away in the process. Tugging Kylo to where his spine met Hux’s chest, the General shuddered at the feel. 

“Hux…..” Kylo drew in a hitched breath. Letting go of the _dhampyre’s_ hands so he could reach down and rub Techie’s sides, the knight tried to distract himself to keep from reaching the edge too soon.

Techie chewed on his lower lip, enjoying his Master’s touch, as well as feeling his cock harden even more underneath Kylo’s thighs. It felt so good, yet his cock was starting to get too constricted. In order to relieve some of the ache, Techie rolled his hips, causing Kylo to gasp. Keeping his hands on Kylo’s hips, Techie arched up again, letting out a whine. 

“Techie, you keep on moving like that…..” Kylo cursed sharply as Hux nipped him hard on the neck. 

“The poor man has a serious case of blue balls, Kylo, so let him do what he feels he must in order to stay sane,” Hux admonished before licking Kylo’s neck again, finding just the right area to sink his fangs into.

Techie whimpered and rolled his hips again, getting a bit frustrated. Yes, he normally didn’t mind holding out for a long time before giving in to desire, but tonight he just wanted to come. Even if it was a quickly done deal, he didn’t care. “But, he’ll black out…. Too much stimulation.” Kylo breathed, closing his eyes against the onslaught of dual desire he was getting from both gingers.

“The _fuck_ I won’t,” Techie gritted out through his teeth, “And even if I do, it’s not like I won’t get another chance to watch. Just… fuck… get off my cock or _do_ something about it!” He hissed out the last part of his phrase, arching his hips again.

Kylo suddenly snapped his eyelids open and with a low growl, he tugged Techie up against him and kissed him hard. Techie let out a helpless moan at the new angle, shivering underneath Kylo, but he still couldn’t get the friction he so desperately needed. Pulling away, Kylo solved the problem by quickly maneuvering Techie out from under his thighs and planting him onto his own lap. Smothering the ginger with kisses, Kylo situated Techie’s legs to where they were splayed around his hips. 

Rolling his hips up against Techie, Kylo swallowed the other male’s ‘fuck yes’. Soon, however, Hux decided he’d waited long enough for his feeding, and he bit Kylo hard, reaching up to yank the Force sensitive’s hair in the process. Kylo was pulled away from Techie’s lips, but he didn’t mind, and nor did Techie. The knight let out a cry of pleasure mixed with pain, causing chills to go up and down Techie’s spine.

The sight and sound of Hux feeding from Kylo’s neck was erotic and captivating. It was like Hux had turned into some sort of sex demon, fangs and lips bloody, his slitted red eyes going almost completely black. Kylo’s blood trickled down his neck onto his chest and out of curiosity more than anything else, Techie had to lean in for a slow taste.

Hux growled lowly, but otherwise kept the slow feed. He couldn’t take much this time around from Kylo, but he could still enjoy his taste. As the bloodlust faded, so did the clingy, possessive feel of hunter ravishing their prey. Pulling away finally, Hux’s eyes flickering back to ice blue, he licked his lips, leaning over Kylo’s shoulder to capture Techie’s crimson tinted lips. Techie met his kiss head on, letting out a desperate moan. Reaching around to embrace Kylo, Techie started humping uncontrollably against his Master’s hips.

His frustrated mewls and gasps finally reached Kylo’s ears as he came slowly down from his high. Though he was incredibly sensitive now, having come hard enough to see stars, Kylo knew Techie needed him. Needed him and Hux both.

Wrapping his arms around Techie, he started arching his hips to give the ginger much needed friction. Techie let out a gasp, which was muffled by Hux’s demanding lips. Techie’s cock was leaking precome and it was creating a wet patch in his casual pants. Perhaps Kylo should have given Techie the lube and not Hux, but they’d deal with it later. Kylo made a mental note in the back of his head to special order Techie a few bottles the next morning.

If their relationship was going to continue to thrive at the fast rate it was going, then they all would need a bunch more in their personal stocks. Techie arched his hips hard once, twice, and then he threw back his head and shouted his head off as he came hard. Kylo arched up a few more times until Techie came down from his high, meeting the other man’s lips in a gentle, blissed out kiss. Absently he noted the lingering taste of his own blood on Techie’s tongue. 

Hux reached over and ran his fingers soothingly through Techie’s hair, thinking that the other ginger looked so pretty in post coital bliss. His face was slack, except for a slight wrinkle in his nose, and his mouth was agape slightly, eyelids half-mast. Hux absently whispered, “Good boy, Techie. Easy does it….There we go. That felt good, didn’t it?”

Techie nodded, slurring slightly, “Told you I wouldn’t pass out.”

“Yes you did,” Kylo said with a small smile, “I need to stop underestimating you.”

“Yes you do,” Techie whispered before his eyes fully closed. “Not as frail as you think I am, Master….”

“It’s not Ren’s fault, Techie. We can’t help wanting to protect you and coddle you a little. You’ve been through too much already, and you’ve worked so hard….” Hux said, watching as Kylo gently let Techie fall onto his back on the bed. 

Techie let out a loud yawn, reaching down to rub his lower abdomen before replying, “Thought you said you aren’t pampering me.”

Before Hux could respond, Techie’s face went slack and soft snores could be heard in the quiet of the ginger’s bedroom. Hux and Kylo shared an amused look before the General asked quietly, “Will he wake if we do the rest of our lesson, or do you want to wait until another date?”

Kylo slowly raked his dark eyes over Hux’s form, taking note that the other man hadn’t come yet. The General’s cock was proudly straining against his abdomen still. Kylo felt his spent cock twitch at the sight. Licking his lips and swallowing heavily, Kylo’s vocabulary singled out into one word, “Shower?”

“Yes, please,” Hux grinned. “But, first, do you think it would be a good idea to clean him up a bit? Or at least change his pants? I bet he’d be a bit uncomfortable, but if we don’t do something he’ll chafe horribly tomorrow.”

Kylo huffed in amusement but admitted, “He trusts us enough, I think. But, why don’t we play it safe until we get out of the shower? I hate to wake him up, but I’d rather undress him on his own terms than otherwise. If he was injured then that would be different. Plus, we kind of skipped dinner, so I’ll need to grab something for us both to eat afterwards anyway.”

Hux nodded slowly, “Fair enough. Now, I do hope you do not object to getting out of the remainder of your clothes before we get into the refresher. I sort of expect you to be naked when I go down on you while you teach me inner Force stimulation.”

“Hux….you won’t have enough brain power to suck me off when I make you come mentally,” Kylo advised, though his breath caught at the thought of what Hux had in mind.

“We shall see,” Hux said, leaning in to kiss Kylo on the lips. “We can always try. Unless, you are too tired to let me taste you there?”

“As if I would be too tired for that,” Kylo arched a brow before he got up off of the bed and proceeded to strip the rest of the way. Grimacing at his come soaked briefs, Kylo figured he really needed to stop doing that. And so did Techie. 

Ironically enough, the only one who hadn’t come inside their pants at any time in their excursions over the past few days was Hux. Determined to ensure that the ginger came in his pants in the future, Kylo followed the General into the refresher.

\----------------------------------------------------------

Techie’s refresher was moderately sized, so Kylo and Hux had no problem fitting into the shower and bathing with some room to spare. The objective was to get mostly clean first before the lesson began again. Kylo was certain Hux wouldn’t be able to stand much afterwards, much less be able to finish bathing. Hux wasn’t sure but decided not to argue with Kylo in this instance. Kylo had way more experience in everything that dealt with the Force, so Hux let him take the lead.

Kisses were exchanged, and hands roamed, but as soon as the water washed away their day’s stresses, sweat, and potent scents, their bodies came closer to each other. Contact was a must, and Kylo couldn’t get enough of seeing Hux naked in front of him with thin streams of water trickling down his body. Hux couldn’t get enough of Kylo’s bathed scent, or the feel of his wet skin under his clawless fingertips. Kylo buried his face into Hux’s neck, breathing in the snowy scent of the ginger that wasn’t completely washed away. 

Fingering his brand lightly with one hand while tugging the ginger up against him with the other, Kylo leaned in for a slow kiss. Hux reached up and wiped away some remaining remnants of dried blood from Kylo’s chest, before he pulled away from the Force user’s lips. Going in for the kill, Hux started trailing kisses down Kylo’s body, careful not to taste too much of the shower water. Though the filtered water was purified per regulation on the Finalizer, Hux couldn’t be too careful.

If the water had any kind of silver or durasteel mineral deposit, then he could possibly poison himself.

Still, even if he did get a bit ill from tasting Kylo’s wet drenched skin, it would be so worth it. Pausing to lap at Kylo’s navel, the ginger got down onto his knees with ease. The position was a bit awkward in the shower, but Hux didn’t care. As long as he was comfortable enough, he’d deal with having bruised knees as a result later. 

Kylo shivered despite the hot seemingly endless stream of water running down his neck and back. Reaching down to run his hands over Hux’s scalp, he gasped at the silky soft feel of the ginger’s hair, thoroughly enjoying the General’s attention. Anticipation had him biting his lower lip, and then he let out a shaky moan when Hux finally dipped his head and lapped at the head of his cock.

 _Inner Force stimulation….remember?_ Hux teased into his mind and Kylo fought to stay focused as the ginger started jacking him with both hands. The _dhampyre’s_ silken mouth sucked on the tip of his cock while Hux’s wet tongue teased his slit. The actions nearly had the knight coming way too soon.

Finally, to keep from fucking into Hux’s mouth and hands, Kylo braced himself up against the shower wall behind the ginger, shuddering out a panted moan. Nearly punching said wall a few times to keep his sanity, Kylo finally managed to get focused enough to start the lesson. Reaching out with his mind, he found Hux’s awareness and Force bond rope. Following the icy awareness all the way deep into Hux’s mind, it took him barely a few seconds to find what he was looking for. 

Hux paused in pleasuring the knight as he felt Kylo brush up against his inner core. “Kriff.” That felt odd, but not necessarily bad. Shaking his head to clear it a bit, Hux went back to pleasuring Kylo, determined not to lose his objective, regardless of what the Force user was trying to show him.

Knowing he shouldn’t rush this, especially with the fact that Hux had a very nice set of fangs gracing a very important part of him, Kylo started rubbing a bit harder. Easing himself into the lesson, Kylo tugged Hux’s awareness inward towards his center, similar to what he had shown Techie earlier. Only with this, Hux just kind of went along for the ride. When Hux felt himself actually probe his inner core, he threw back his head and let out a long ragged moan. 

That felt way better than he’d thought it would. Then again, he should have realized that he’d feel similar to Techie when mentally stimulated like that. He just had assumed that since he wasn’t Force sensitive that it would feel a bit duller, or more muted. Apparently he’d been incorrect in that assumption. This…. This felt kriffingly delicious.

“Want me to stop?” Kylo breathed, trembling as Hux leaned back in just to nuzzle his cock for a moment.

“No,” Hux rasped, breathing in the clean musk around Kylo’s groin. He cupped Kylo’s sac gingerly, kneading each testicle lightly. When he claimed Kylo’s hard cock again, the Force user hissed out a curse.

Taking a note from Techie’s book, Kylo bit one of his fists so he could continue focusing on giving Hux pleasure. Helping Hux essentially fuck his own brain felt good. It wasn’t electric like Techie, but the response was equally enjoyable and erotic. Hux’s mind felt like it was about to burst into a mix of fire and ice, and with each rub to his core, the ginger let out the craziest hair rising noises Kylo had ever heard. But, then Hux let out an agonized pleasurable shout as he mentally came, and Kylo couldn’t resist the fight anymore.

He reached down and bodily hauled Hux onto his feet. Then he slammed him into the shower wall. Hux let out loud moans as Kylo devoured him, both mentally and physically, his mouth catching each moan and shaky cry. Hux was so sensitized, so overcome with pleasure that he couldn’t do anything but hump up against Kylo’s hips reflexively. He reached up and hugged Kylo close, trembling with each mental rub, each drowning kiss, and each mad arch of the knight’s hips. 

Their cocks rubbed up against one another and with one last rub, both Kylo and Hux shouted their equal climax. No one knew who had actually started coming first or who tumbled off the edge with them, but one thing was for certain, both nearly lost their vision at the explosive outburst. Hux panted and rested his head against the shower wall, absently noting that he was trembling almost as much as Techie had earlier.

The only difference is that both Kylo and himself had been able to come physically as well as mentally thanks to being wet and already physically stimulated. Kylo gave Hux a few open mouthed kisses as he calmed his racing heartbeat. He was still deep within Hux’s mind and almost felt like staying there curled up forever, just loving the feel of the other man’s non judging thoughts and feelings. But, after a few long minutes, Kylo gently withdrew, giving Hux a slower, meaningful kiss.

Hux reached up and ran his palms over Kylo’s cheeks, staring into those golden swirling eyes. When the gold faded into brown hazel, Hux found that he liked Kylo looking at him like this. So vulnerable. So trusting. So achingly open and crushable. Hux could literally see Kylo’s soul painted on his face. Now he knew what Techie had felt earlier – truly felt. And he also knew what Kylo had felt and was feeling now. 

In fact, if Hux was honest with himself, he would admit that he was feeling very similar as well. 

Hux hated being vulnerable, or showing any kind of weakness. But, for some reason, perhaps due to fate – if there was such a thing – that allowed him to want to show Kylo and Techie that he wasn’t invincible. That he did have weaknesses, faults. As his powers grew stronger, so would his weaknesses. Somehow though, that didn’t scare him like it used to. No, what scared him more than his weaknesses was the fact that…..

No…. He pulled his thoughts away from that road, shivering slightly. Kylo watched him knowingly, keeping his gaze, and when Hux whispered, “I can’t….not yet,” the Force sensitive didn’t press him, or judge him. 

Enveloping Hux into his strong arms for long moments, the knight allowed the ginger to build his defenses back up. Eventually, the water started turning lukewarm and the men finished their shower. Nothing was said while they dried themselves off, or when they slipped into more borrowed sleep clothing of Kylo’s. Apparently the man had been prepared for tonight on the off chance that Techie would want their triad to sleep in his quarters, and had put some extra bundles in the refresher’s linen cabinet. 

Afterwards they headed back into the bedroom, noting that Techie was awake now, but barely. His eyes tiredly whirred as both advanced towards the bed and he smiled slightly, “Have fun?”

“Does it bother you if we did?” Hux asked, not quite fully recovered, but close enough to have some of his normal sense of humor filter back into his voice. He got into bed and leaned over to give the other man a small kiss.

“No, as I said before, there will be plenty more times to watch you and possibly help in the fun,” Techie admitted with a yawn, “God fucking damnit, I could totally eat a whole cargo ship, but I am just too dead to even move.”

Kylo snorted and reached down to tickle a foot in passing. Techie let out a squeak and kicked out before muttering, “Ass.”

“Up. Go shower, before you start smelling like a bantha,” Kylo deadpanned. 

“Won’t it wash away the tattoo removal application?” Techie stalled, stretching tiredly.

Kylo shook his head no. “It dries pretty quickly. Once it does the effects continue regardless of how damp the area gets.” He then crossed his arms and said pointedly, “Go bathe, or I won’t go get you dinner.”

“Can I have dessert, too?” Techie asked, deciding to try and pout. 

The full pout made Kylo’s mouth twitch, though he nodded slowly, “Only if you promise to start taking those nutrition supplements I suggested early this morning.”

Techie whined, but gave up when he noted that he wasn’t going to get his Master to budge on this one. “They taste like garbage.”

“Keep taking them and you’ll forget about the taste and like the results instead,” Kylo arched a brow.

“I doubt that, Master, but ok. I’ll start taking them,” Techie sighed and peeled himself out of bed, trying really hard to imitate some sort of space slug in the process.

Hux huffed softly as he watched Techie head into the refresher. Shaking his head tiredly, he looked over and shared an amused look with Kylo before the Force sensitive disappeared to head down to the kitchen. The ginger rolled his eyes when he felt and heard the knight use the pole to get down faster. 

Sometimes Kylo reminded Hux of a sixteen year old instead of a thirty year old. But, he supposed that the knight should be allowed a little bit of fun once in a while.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Once Techie came out of the refresher dressed this time in his own old casual grey sleepwear, Kylo had returned with trays that were laden down with small meals and mugs of tea. The food smelled incredible, and Techie really could care less what it actually was at this point. Mental and carnal workouts definitely made a person ravenous. The shower had helped rejuvenate him in a way the small nap hadn’t, though he still felt like curling up with big Hux and Kylo body pillows for a whole year.

Feeling his nerves start to get the better of him again, Techie shyly took up a tray and sat down slowly near Hux and Kylo on his bed. Hux had sprawled out on the bed aligning his body with the headboard, feet dangling off the side so he could rest on all of Techie’s pillows. Techie didn’t seem to mind, though he did nervously look at both his Master and Hux, starting to let doubts get to him. Kylo pulled his first Apprentice’s thoughts away from that route by leaning in to give the ginger a gentle and reassuring kiss.

Apparently it wasn’t just Techie and Hux that were students. When it came to understanding moods and thoughts, Kylo was learning as well, and adjusting accordingly. It was a different experience for the knight, caring for a new set of Apprentices with completely different personalities and goals. Techie might deny that he was fragile, but when it came to certain things, he most certainly was. Hux, though seemingly unbreakable, had vulnerabilities as well. All three of them had weaknesses that they had to deal with every second that they drew breath, but Kylo found he didn’t mind. 

It was those weaknesses that made each one of them unique as individuals – and when manipulated correctly, then they would turn into formidable strengths. Kylo had been telling the truth to Hux when he’d offered to help him turn his weaknesses to things that could work in his favor. And, in time, he’d do the same with Techie. Perhaps they could in turn help him with his own vulnerabilities. 

Hux almost wondered what might have happened if Kylo, Techie, and himself had met years ago before the First Order had formed and had created a Force bond then. Would the three of them still turn out the way they had? The answer was probably no, but at the same time, it was interesting to think about. Kylo and Hux could have accomplished so much together as a team instead of adversarial co-workers these past three years that they had known eachother. And with the added benefit of Techie as a healthy medium and anchor, all three of them could have possibly conquered the galaxy by now.

Only time would tell what the future held for them, and where it would lead to. It was best not to dwell on what ifs. 

Techie leaned into Kylo’s kiss and snorted when the other man pulled away to peck him on the nose. Relaxing fully, Techie concentrated on his meal. Kylo had kept the meal light, knowing that a heavy meal right before bed was just a recipe for a bad night’s sleep plagued by horrible heartburn. The meal he had chosen for himself and Techie was a compilation of less acidic fruits and vegetables accented with a pale slab of lightly seasoned meat. For dessert he had chosen a small fluffy sponge cake. The tea was from tree leaves that were known to help calm the nerves and ease the stomach of toxins. 

Kylo knew he had chosen right when Techie literally moaned at how good everything tasted.

Being completely serious about Techie’s nutrition as well as his own, Kylo had also brought the small nutrition tablets for both of them to consume. Techie wrinkled his nose at the tablets but he muscled his way through the gag reflex in order to down them. The tea at least helped wash away the nasty flavor. Kylo smirked slightly at his first Apprentice’s plight, but then chewed quickly through his own tablets.

 _I will order blood replenishing tablets in the morning, Hux,_ Kylo told the General, who nodded in response, his eyes flickering from one Force sensitive to the other, watching their domestic actions with mild interest.

 _I’ll hold you to it. I’d rather not fancy you or Techie falter in battle because you are too weakened by my feeding sessions,_ Hux finally mentioned, running his hand through his mussed hair, making it look more poofy in the process.

Both Techie and Kylo stared at him for a long moment, food totally forgotten before they broke their gazes and continued eating. Apparently the fact that Hux’s hair looking like it’d been fucked within an inch of its life was definitely a nice sight to see. Techie popped a piece of fruit into his mouth before he sighed in relief. Nutrition supplements were nasty, regardless of how good they were for his body. Hopefully the blood supplements that Kylo was going to be ordering for them tasted better.

Hux pulled himself up into a sitting position and scooched over to Kylo’s side, curiosity getting the better of him. He pushed away the knight’s dark and still slightly damp hair away from his neck so the _dhampyre_ could look at his handy work. The pinpricks were a bit bruised but otherwise looked mostly healed thanks to the healing agents in Hux’s saliva. 

Kylo paused in taking a bite out of his sponge cake, turning a questioning glance at Hux. The General lightly traced the small marks before he whispered, “I feel the strangest urge to make you like me. It’s rather impossible for me to do that though.”

“Is that due to your blood being less toxic than a full vampire’s?” Kylo asked, suddenly curious.

“Yes. Once I had been told what I was, what my affliction was – I researched about it the best I could. _Dhampyres_ may have similar wants and needs as full blooded vampires, but there never has been any record of one creating another by bite or giving blood,” Hux explained with a soft sigh. “The only way that it has been documented is by childbirth. I’d have to sire a child.” Wrinkling his nose at the thought, he added, “And I’d rather not have a child, even if there was a surrogate female to be the mother – at least not until the ware ends, if it ever does.”

Techie tried to picture Hux with a baby and started flushing. That was way too awkward and cute a picture to think about sanely. Kylo snorted at Techie’s wandering thoughts, but then shrugged. If he truly thought about it himself, he’d admit that picturing Hux with a baby would be cute. Hell, even the sight of both Hux and Techie with a baby would be adorable. Techie caught the thought and suddenly nearly had a meltdown at the picture in his brain of a toddler crawling up Kylo’s leg as the man tried to pilot his command shuttle.

Hux rolled his eyes, “You two are insane.”

“You are just realizing this now?” Kylo teased. “You or Techie holding a child would be absolutely adorable. Ironic, and totally strange to think about, but it would definitely be a sight to see.”

Hux snorted. Of all the subjects to think about, they had somehow gravitated towards the topic of babies and children. It definitely wasn’t something Hux wanted to linger on. Plus, with the way things were going with the war with the Resistance and being under the firm guidance of Leader Snoke, it would be doubtful if all three of them managed to survive. One of them or all of them might not get to see their dreams unfold. Hux wasn’t naïve in any stretch of the imagination. Yes, it was a nice thought to eventually settle down and have a family – especially if Kylo and Techie were still in the picture by then, but it wasn’t realistic. 

Pulling his thoughts away from that morbid and depressing path, Hux leaned in to kiss Kylo on the lips, catching a bit of the sweet flavor of the cake the Force user had been consuming earlier in the process. Licking his lips, Hux sighed wistfully and murmured, “Enjoy.”

“We are,” Techie said with a small smile, before he licked the crumbs off of his fingers.

Hux and Kylo watched him for one heated moment, causing Techie to flush a bit at the dirty thoughts he was catching from both of their minds. Relenting, Kylo turned back to finishing his meal, and Hux laid back down, debating whether or not he should go hunting for one of Kylo’s data pads. He knew Techie had hidden them, but maybe he could convince the ginger to show him mentally where one was.

Techie scowled at him, shaking his head no.

Hux sighed deeply, giving up for now. Yawning tiredly, he figured he’d let it go one more night before he would have to go back to working on his reports piling up in his bridge office. As fun as their nightly excursions had been the past few nights, Hux was getting too far behind with paperwork. 

“Just give it to someone else to do – or at least share the workload,” Kylo rumbled, draining the last of his tea.

“As easy as that sounds, it’s completely opposite in action. Everyone I have employed has their own work to do. It would make no sense to just let my work go to someone else when they already have a full plate in front of them,” Hux said. “Plus, if I give all of my work to other people, then the Supreme Leader might think of me as a meaningless deadweight. I would rather not test the theory.”

Both Techie and Kylo scowled at the thought, but didn’t comment. Sometimes there was no winning with the General when it came to his own self-image of self-worth. It seemed like now was one of those times. Still, as Kylo took up the trays and headed downstairs to wash them up instead of calling a droid to do it, Techie cuddled up with Hux and murmured softly, “You aren’t a meaningless deadweight to me or to Kylo, Hux.”

Hux ran his fingers through Techie’s hair and sighed softly, “I am beginning to realize that.”

Once Kylo returned, the three cuddled underneath Techie’s new comforter. The lights were turned off and for a long few minutes Techie stayed awake, despite his exhaustion. Finally closing his eyelids to the feel of Hux still stroking his hair, the Force sensitive let sleep take hold of him.

Hux lay there a few more minutes before he told Kylo, “Thank you.”

He didn’t say what for, and Kylo didn’t ask.

Instead the Force user’s dark gaze met his for a long moment before he huffed out, “You’re welcome.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------

The night passed uneventfully, though Kylo got up before his Apprentices. He decided to let them sleep. Though he knew the General would get pretty pissed with him for doing so, Kylo turned off Hux’s alarm. Sending a few notifications to Phasma and Mitaka to cover for Hux for the morning, Kylo got the affirmative from both shortly after. Phasma didn’t say much besides asking him (or suggesting – it was sometimes hard to tell with the captain) to ensure that the General was in a very good mood once he took his shift back over that afternoon. When Kylo arched a brow and sent her a ‘why’ in response, the captain had simply stated that she had a bet going with some of her men and didn’t want to lose.

So essentially, Phasma wanted Hux to get laid.

Or laid so hard that he was in an excellent frame of mind when he got onto the bridge later on.

Kylo rolled his eyes, though he did reply back that he couldn’t guarantee it, but Hux would be less stressed at least. Phasma sent him back a frowny face, though then she quickly stated, _‘just fuck him already or get him to fuck you’_. Thankfully, Kylo knew how to delete messages permanently from the servers or some people in management might raise some eyebrows. Not that Kylo really cared about keeping their relationship secret, but he knew that the General was a very private person and would appreciate less attention in this area of his life. Plus, it wouldn’t be ideal to have Leader Snoke possibly get wind of it. Kylo dressed and went to go work out for a few hours, feeling a bit sluggish due to his slacking on this normal morning routine for the past few days. Carnal pleasures and mental excursions only did so much to his physique. He couldn’t help but feel exhilarated at the thought of both of his Apprentices learning physical art forms as well. Yes, Hux had been trained at the Academy and had experience in fighting in general, but he never had sparred with Kylo in the three years they had been acquainted with one another. Kylo had seen the General in action a few times and often thought that he had a good skill set. But, now that the General and he were on better terms, perhaps the _dhampyre_ wouldn’t mind sparring with him and eventually Techie in the near future.

Besides, once his two Apprentices started building their lightsabers, it would be a must to have the both of them learn how to use the weapons. It would be imperative to teach Hux, not just Techie, how to wield the beautiful but deadly beasts.

As for Techie, now that the ginger was starting to eat healthily regularly and have much needed rest, perhaps his physical training could start sometime in the following standard week. Though Techie knew how to use a blaster and knew how to defend himself somewhat physically, he was abysmal in speed and tact. And Techie only fought physically when he was scared half to death. Kylo definitely had his work cut out for him, but that was ok. To see both his students flourish was a high but much desired goal. 

The mental training would go on as scheduled with Techie and Hux would join them when he was able to. Now that the General had a good idea where to start with his prior lesson, he would be able to practice the pushing away and blocking on his own time, and not necessarily need to be in the presence of the other two of the triad bond. Once he perfected that, then Hux would probably want to start exploring his mental offenses and would need Kylo’s help. By then, hopefully Techie would be at a suitable level in using his own powers to possibly help in being a sparring partner, if not a full-fledged mock opponent. After his workout, Kylo finished up the designs on Techie’s new uniform and sent off an order for several duplicate outfits along with better work boots, sleepwear, and of course blood replenishing supplements and lube. Once that was done, Kylo headed up to Techie’s room to check on his Apprentices. For long moments Kylo watched the two sleep. Techie was wrapped up like a clinging Rathtar again – though this time he was using Hux as a body pillow. Hux was drooling a bit into his pillow and Kylo really, really debated on taking a small picture just for his amusement. Finally deciding to go ahead, Kylo took the picture with his small wrist monitor and smirked. Hux and Techie weren’t the only voyeurs in their odd triad.

Techie was the first to awaken, his whirring blue eyes meeting Kylo’s dark gaze before he stretched and yawned. The ginger’s hair was going every which way imaginable but Kylo couldn’t help reaching over to touch the silky tresses. Techie’s eyelids were almost healed, though he would probably still need to apply his normal routine of bacta and drops for another week. By then it would be safe to drop the bacta and just use the drops only when the eyelids got irritated. The branded ‘Male’ tattoo was still there – though the tattoo removal cream had faded it drastically from the night before. Kylo assumed Techie would only need one or two more applications before it was completely gone from the ginger’s temple. 

Techie leaned into Kylo’s touch, though he didn’t make one move to get up from his spot. The ginger was too warm and comfortable to even think about moving, much less wanting to. _Thank you, Master,_ Techie breathed softly into Kylo’s mind. _Hux will be pissed but oh well. He’ll live._

Kylo swallowed and leaned in to give Techie a kiss. Pulling away, Kylo ruffled the other male’s hair and whispered, “Time to get up; you need to start practicing. If you do well enough, then we can move on to the next level.”

Techie yawned and stretched again, peeling himself reluctantly off of Hux, who woke at being jostled a bit too much. The other ginger rubbed his eyes and face, grimacing slightly at the feel of spit on his cheek. Kylo snorted, leaned in and licked at some of it.

“You’re disgusting,” Hux mumbled sleepily, blinking owlishly up at Kylo.

“It’s just spit. Why is kissing different from licking it?” Kylo asked pointedly, watching as Techie got up, having the worst case of bedhead he’d ever seen. Not being able to help it, Kylo reached over and tugged the long haired ginger to him before Techie passed him.

Apparently Kylo was handsy today. Techie didn’t mind the attention, leaning up to give his Master a kiss as Kylo straightened fully. The knight leaned in and breathed in his first Apprentice’s scent, noting that Techie still smelled faintly of his shower the night before with a small bit of spicier electric scent underneath. Kylo ran his hands over Techie’s back and sides before releasing him.

Hux yawned and stretched, rubbing the back of his neck. “Kriff, what time is it?”

It felt later than it should be, and Hux was right. Hux narrowed his blue eyes at Kylo in suspicion. Catching the Force sensitive’s thoughts, he scowled. “What the _pfassk_ , Ren? Why did you do that?” Hux asked bitingly, not amused one bit.

“You needed a break. Even Phasma told me to do something about your stress levels.” Kylo pointed out, allowing Techie to go get changed.

Techie cringed when he heard a stream of curses spill out of Hux’s mouth, though some of the language caused him to snicker in mirth. “What about Millie? You at least didn’t forget about her, right?”

“No, I didn’t forget about her. Mitaka took it upon himself to feed her before he headed to the bridge. So relax,” Kylo said in exasperation.

Closing the refresher door, Techie tried to tune them out a bit so he could freshen up and give his eyelids their daily treatments. After finishing up and dressing for the day, taking the time to brush his hair more, Techie came out of the refresher sometime later. Techie noted with a small smile that Kylo was definitely making things up to Hux.

Hux wasn’t fully naked this time, but Kylo was kissing him and jacking him off. The two of them were on the bed. Though Kylo looked way over dressed and a bit awkward in his customary robes and collar, boots hanging off of the edge of the bed, both men didn’t seem to mind. Hux let out soft moans, whispering, “If I come all over you, I want you to wear your clothes all day regardless. I want you to smell like me, be painted in my own essence.”

“Kriff, Hux, the ideas that come out of your mouth,” Kylo answered, tugging on Hux’s lower lip, finally rolling over onto his back and tugging Hux with him. Hux let out a ragged moan when he was allowed the chance to dominate Kylo. He’d fantasized so much about this the past few days. Hell, he might have even dreamt about it several times in the last few years, just not recognizing that it had been Kylo in those dreams until now. Kylo let go of Hux’s cock, reaching up to grip the ginger’s hips as the _dhampyre_ rolled his hips and got much needed friction. 

“That’s what I want, Kylo. Those are my terms,” Hux gasped out, his cock slick with quickly applied lube and rubbing against Kylo’s lower abdomen and high belt. 

“I will wear the belt and robes inside outwards,” Kylo compromised, letting out a hitched breath when Hux threw back his head in a ragged moan. Gritting his teeth against the pleasure mounting in his blood, Kylo bit out, “If….If the Supreme Leader calls us for an impromptu meeting I cannot…. I _WILL_ not… be able to display it like you want me to.”

“Please for the love of a kriffing bantha’s ass crack do NOT bring up the Supreme Leader when I am dominating you, you abominable _nerfherder_ ,” Hux hissed, arching his hips in quicker, sharp jerks. “And fine… inside outwards…. As long as you reek of me, I will be satisfied, kriff…. YES.”

Techie snorted at that, but he wandered over to sit down on the bed besides the other two, enjoying the view. Feeling lust tingle through him at the sight of Hux dominating Kylo for a change, Techie almost wondered if he was going to get a permanently chafed cock – coming in his pants every karking day like clockwork. With a soft whine, Techie reached over and ran his fingers down Hux’s back, the sleep shirt riding up on the General’s back to show a small portion of skin. When Techie reached that area, Hux arched his back and practically bellowed out his climax, cumming hard against Kylo’s groin and abdomen. 

Kylo licked his lips and forced himself not to come. That’s also what Hux wanted. He wanted this to be like a punishment in a sense. He wanted Kylo not to come one bit through all this. As Hux calmed down, the ginger noted that Techie was suffering just as much as Kylo and felt a pang of remorse.

Techie didn’t deserve the punishment.

Kylo did.

It was kriffingly maddening that he couldn’t punish one of their triad without having an impact on the other. True, Techie could jack himself off or possibly even Kylo could give him some stimulation to come but the result still would be off balanced. Hux let out a ragged sigh, not liking the feel of the bond being so lopsided. Apparently the Force was a bit anal about balance in all things. Strange that the night before Techie hadn’t felt the least bit upset about Hux and Kylo having their fun time alone in the refresher.

Then again, overnight their bonds had grown it seemed. The threads that had turned into ropes the day before were now thicker. As the Force bonds strengthened, so did the side effects. With a soft resigned sigh, Hux murmured, “You may give Techie pleasure if he wishes, and then you may give in to your own pleasure, but ONLY after he is satisfied, is that clear?”

Kylo breathed in a sigh of relief. That he could do. “Yes.”

“And wear his essence as well,” Hux added with a small smirk, causing Techie to flush scarlet.

Kylo rolled his eyes, but nodded, “Fine. That all?”

“Yes,” For now. Hux rolled off of Kylo, feeling a bit better now.

Techie licked his lips and looked over Kylo, noting the appeal Hux had seen in enjoying himself all over the completely clothed knight – all except the helmet. Still, Techie was painfully shy and though he didn’t have a completely dismal lack of self-esteem, he wasn’t sure if he was ready to bare himself more than he already had to the other members of their triad. Kylo came up with a solution to that though.


	9. Mutual Enjoyment and New Orders

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so sorry it took me so long to post! Been writing a bunch on this and keep forgetting to post chapters. Up to a whopping 125k now, and it looks like it's just going to keep getting bigger and bigger. So if I have hooked you now, then enjoy the long haul chapters. :) Thank you for your continuing support and kudos! I'll be giving you all a treat possibly tonight. Might actually post another chapter back to back. We will see.
> 
> As per the norm, any trigger warnings will be listed at the bottom of the page. Otherwise, read at your own risk.

### Chapter 9: Mutual Enjoyment and New Orders

“If you don’t mind sitting on my lap and doing similar to last night, just with your cock out and lubed up, that would work. Hux and I will promise not to look down if you don’t want us to,” Kylo suggested. “I won’t touch you there yet if you don’t want me to.”

Flushing even more, Techie whispered, “Um, would it be ok if…if Hux touches me… this time? Since it is sort of a punishment to you, for making Hux sleep in, right?” Though, he honestly was happy that Kylo had done so for his sake if not for Hux’s.

Hux arched an amused brow and shrugged, “I don’t mind. If you don’t?” When Kylo swallowed heavily, Techie almost felt like backing down, but then his Master’s lips twitched.

“I’m not pissed, Techie. I am just trying to think of a way how to keep my hands off of you when you come for us,” Kylo said honestly, amused.

“Oh, well you can touch me, just not _there_ ….Not this time,” Techie said softly, feeling relief going over him in waves. Feeling his Master’s thoughts filter through his own, the ginger relaxed even more.

At Kylo and Hux’s nods, Techie slowly took off his belt, chewing on his lower lip nervously. After the belt came his tunic, but he left his long sleeved undershirt on. Boots came next, and soon that was as far as Techie was willing to go for now. Hux cleaned himself up a bit with a tissue before tucking his cock back into his lacy black briefs. Then he positioned himself behind Techie on the bed, careful not to startle the other man. Kylo sat up, ignoring the fact that Hux’s come was starting to dry and flake on his outer robe and belt. He maneuvered himself towards the other two, spreading out his legs on either side of Techie.

Techie continued to face him, but ended up sitting in the cradle of Hux’s lap instead. It seemed to be a bit easier and less awkward, though Techie let out a soft worried gasp in distress when Hux gripped his hips, the _dhampyre’s_ claws coming out to play unexpectedly. Hux took a few seconds to retract the claws before he soothingly ran his hands up and down Techie’s sides. The other ginger relaxed up against Hux’s chest and turned his attention back to Kylo, who had advanced as far as physically possible.

His legs splayed wide, Hux and Techie nearly broke their brains at the sight of just how uncommonly flexible Kylo was. Techie stretched out his legs, putting them on top of Kylo’s hips but otherwise didn’t do anything else. Kylo slowly moved a bit more, his legs touching Hux’s. The General stretched his legs out and slipped them underneath Kylo’s and all of them breathed out a sigh of relief. They were as comfortable as they could be in this interesting position.

After a long few moments of letting Techie breathe and get himself centered, Hux carefully hugged the other ginger against him, gently kissing his hair. “Ready, Techie?”

“I think so,” Techie said, trembling slightly.

“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to,” Kylo said gently. “There are other ways we can give you release, or we can even postpone it until later if you would like. We won’t force you to do this.”

“I want to do this, though,” Techie explained, “I just need a distraction. A distraction to get me to stop overthinking things. And maybe for Hux to go slowly at first?”

“I can be your distraction,” Kylo said with a wry smile. Leaning in, he did just that, cupping Techie’s face and kissing him.

That definitely was a good distraction.

Hux breathed into Techie’s mind, _I’ll go slow. Let me know if I am going too slow. Unbutton your pants, Techie._

 _Ok,_ Techie mewled against Kylo’s lips, shuddering when his Master lightly tugged on his lower lip.

Techie reached down with trembling fingers and undid his pants, letting out another gasp when Kylo licked the crease of his mouth. _Just relax and let yourself feel, Techie,_ Kylo whispered into his thoughts, lightly tugging Techie closer to him, but not trying to get him out of Hux’s embrace.

That would have been counterproductive. Slowly Kylo devoured Techie’s mouth, moaning softly at the electric current running through his veins at the act. Techie tasted delicious, slightly minty from his toothpaste with a hint of something uniquely him. Techie, almost forgetting that Hux was holding him, reached up and buried his hands into Kylo’s hair, enjoying the feel of the slightly sweat dampened silky waves. Tugging lightly on the knight’s hair, Techie gasped when Kylo nipped his tongue in retaliation.

The sizzling desire between them heightened in intensity and Techie found himself drowning in Kylo’s smoldering taste. Kylo flicked his tongue against Techie’s, enticing the other male to play. Both Force sensitives pulled away after a long moment to breathe and then went back at it. Kylo shivered as his control slipped slightly, his mouth clashing harder against Techie’s. The desire to possess him, to claim him, and make him his own raged through Kylo, making him growl lowly in the effort to hold back.

Hux pressed a gentle kiss on the back of Techie’s head again before he let one hand start to relax its hold on the ginger’s middle. Keeping his left arm where it was, allowing Techie something to brace against should he need it, Hux waited one more moment before his right hand slowly slid down towards Techie’s lower abdomen. He lightly traced the ends of Techie’s shirt there, waiting for any sign that the other ginger wanted to go slower or have him stop. When there was none, only Techie and Kylo practically eating each other’s mouths off, Hux tugged up the shirt. 

Techie did stiffen when he first felt Hux’s fingers trace right under the soft pouch of his tummy, but relaxed when Hux stilled for a long moment. Techie’s skin was so soft there, almost like the top of one of Millicent’s paws. Carefully running his fingers lightly over that skin, he smirked slightly when Techie’s skin twitched underneath his touch. Techie was not just sensitive there, he was a bit ticklish.

Filing that thought into the back of his head, Hux traced the edge of the other ginger’s briefs, finding some stray hairs from the beginning of Techie’s happy trail there. Techie pulled away from Kylo’s lips and let out a snort of laughter. Kylo blinked slightly, not sure what was going on, but then viewed what was happening in both Hux and Techie’s minds and huffed with amusement. 

“Is it ok if I press a bit harder so that it won’t tickle so much?” Hux asked, thoroughly amused now.

Techie reached down with one hand and placed it over Hux’s fingers. Pressing down a bit firmer, Hux got the idea and murmured softly, “Perfect.”

Feeling a bit shy, Techie looked behind his shoulder at Hux and kissed him on the lips in thanks. Hux pecked him back and then motioned to Kylo, “Don’t worry about me. I’ve already come. You and Kylo haven’t. Kiss Kylo before he starts looking like I’ve stolen you away from him.”

Kylo pouted slightly at that comment and Techie caught the look and laughed. “Master, you don’t pout very well,” The ginger said, and Hux had to agree. That was one seriously bad pout.

Kylo rolled his eyes and tugged Techie’s face back to him, murmuring, “I wasn’t trying very hard.”

“Then I want to see a real honest try,” Techie said against Kylo’s lips, smirking impishly.

Hux started laughing when Kylo looked like he wanted to murder something – anything really. Finally, Kylo fucking caved and put on a full pout: complete with the large sad eyes and jutting out lower lip. Techie bit his lower lip and whispered, “Kriff.”

Hux sobered and nodded with a small smirk, “I do believe he’s taking pointers from you, Techie.”

Techie blushed. When Kylo’s pouting started getting to him too much, Techie finally took his face into his hands and kissed him full on the lips. The sound of Kylo’s muffled snickers reached Hux and he nuzzled Techie’s shoulder to hide his full smile. 

While the two started heating the room up again with more passionate kisses, Hux released Techie to put some lube onto his hands. Once done, he returned one arm around Techie’s middle and placed his hand where it had been before, putting a firmer touch against the other man’s skin. Techie didn’t mind this time, in fact he let out a soft aroused mewl when Hux traced the top of his briefs. 

Kylo deepened the kisses, lightly framing Techie’s face with his palms, devouring a few moans in the process. Techie felt like his skin was burning up, that his veins were going to explode from the intense fire running through them. And the feel of Hux slowly dipping his fingers under the waistband of his briefs made the ginger want to scream. It felt so good, and yet not enough. But, it was all going so fast – but not fast enough. Contradictions were running through him like tidal waves.

Finally, when one of Hux’s fingers found the tip of his cock, Techie let out a loud moan, nearly coming from the feel. Releasing Kylo’s face, Techie felt near desperate as he reached down and tugged out his cock from his briefs, shivering slightly at the cool air that hit his heated skin. Grabbing ahold of Hux’s hand, Techie wrapped it around his cock and hissed, gritting his teeth and clenching his eyelids shut at the feel. It felt so good, almost to the point of pain.

Kylo tugged Techie back to his lips and started kissing him, though slowly this time, allowing the ginger to relax again. Hux stayed quiet, though he did nuzzle the other male’s neck in understanding. This was a huge step for Techie to make. From what he’d gathered from the ginger’s memories is that though Techie had sex – if fucking in darkened filthy corners of a server room prison was considered actual sex, and had been both fucked and had been the fucker, he’d never let anyone touch his skin willingly. The times he had been willing to fuck a person or be fucked were just quick sessions where no one saw or felt any skin besides his ass or his prick inside their ass. So this was very different from anything Techie had experienced before. 

The fact that he was willing to trust Hux and Kylo like this was incredible. Hux felt a huge renewed sense of needing to protect Techie. No one was going to touch him like he was just some random fuck ever again. No one was going to hurt him either, if Hux and Kylo could help it. And absolutely no one besides Techie was going to decide who got to put their hands on his person. Hux and Kylo shared a deep feeling of understanding and commitment.

Techie was their responsibility.

And fuck anyone who thought otherwise.

Techie pulled away from Kylo’s lips and whimpered when Hux started stroking him slowly and gently. It was a heady feeling, being the first person Techie ever trusted to touch him like this. Though Hux knew that Kylo probably wanted to be Techie’s first, it didn’t really matter in a way. If Techie had chosen Hux, then that was fine. From the sense of smell and connection he received from Kylo, Hux noted that the knight didn’t actually mind that Hux was Techie’s first. In his point of view he was just content and perhaps a little happy that Techie at least wanted him to be participating and finding enjoyment as well. 

Techie kept his hand over Hux’s, though he let the other man chose what to do to him, and how to stroke him. Kylo tilted Techie’s chin up so he could look the ginger in the eye and whispered, “Breathe, Techie.”

Techie drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, before he rested his forehead against his Master’s. _Are you ok?_ Hux asked gently, continuing to stroke Techie with slow, even strokes.

 _Yes, it’s just…. Intense,_ Techie breathed out a whoosh of air, enjoying the feeling of Hux’s hand on his cock. When Hux lightly smeared precome around his tip, Techie moaned, closing his eyes and trembling. The feeling was so good, and he could feel tingles running all over his skin. With a shiver, Techie bit his lower lip, totally enraptured now.

Kylo kept his eyes on Techie’s face, though he really did want to watch what Hux was doing to cause the other man to look so blissed out. Still, Techie trusted him not to watch – at least not this time, so Kylo was willing to wait until his Apprentice was ready. Kylo leaned in to capture Techie’s slackened lips a few times, but otherwise watched the ginger’s expressions as he let himself be pleasured.

Hux could sense from their bond that Techie was almost there, even though the General hadn’t done anything quicker or harsher than what he was doing right now. Techie seemed to need to be touched like this, and he was thoroughly enjoying it. The long haired ginger wanted this to last as long as possible. At this point, it didn’t matter to Techie if Hux needed to start getting ready or that training needed to start soon. All that mattered was this, being with people he trusted, enjoying his first experience with consensual sexual touching. It was intimate, and a bit nerve wracking, but Techie didn’t care.

The overall experience was worth it.

Techie arched his back against Hux, his hips starting to arch up into the General’s hand as he started falling apart. Hux was prepared for this and aimed Techie’s cock away from the other ginger’s clothing. The poor male didn’t need to have to change his clothing again when he’d just done so not even half an hour ago. Kylo’s clothing was already soiled though, and the main objective of all this besides giving Techie enjoyment was to ensure that the knight had some more decoration adorning his robes. 

Tightening his fist a bit over Techie’s leaking cock, Hux reflexively bit down onto the other man’s shoulder, careful not to lengthen his canines and thus ripping holes into his tunic. Letting out a loud keening sob, Techie came, spurting all over the General’s hand and Kylo’s clothing. Absolute bliss spread over Techie’s face as he found his apex, letting out a slow erotic moan in the process. His lips were slack and his face looked so much at peace, it almost had Kylo coming yet again in his pants.

Knowing that Techie seemed to enjoy a little bit of post coital stimulation, Hux kept languidly stroking Techie’s softening cock, until the other male gently stilled his movements with his own hand.

“You are so beautiful, Techie,” Kylo whispered, his eyes meeting Techie’s half lidded ones. 

Techie was too blissed out to protest, and when Hux whispered, “You are, Techie. Very much so”, the ginger let out a soft hitched breath, overcome with emotion.

For long moments nothing more was said, allowing Techie time to ease back into reality and get more control of his emotions. Hux pulled his hand away from Techie’s spent cock, cleaning off the small amount of come that was on his tip in the process, before raising his drenched hand to his lips to taste the other man’s essence. Techie felt his cock twitch at the sight and sound of Hux thoroughly enjoying his flavor. Kylo reached over and took Hux’s hand, licking up some come off of the side of it.

“Delicious,” Hux murmured, watching Kylo close his eyelids in pleasure.

Techie flushed before he reached down and put his spent cock back inside his briefs and carefully buttoned his pants back up. With still trembling hands, he reached out and touched Kylo’s face, asking shyly, “Can I?”

It was a good thing both Hux and Kylo had access to Techie’s thoughts, otherwise they’d have to guess what he was referring to. Kylo slowly nodded, “You may, but let me get my belt and robes off at least.”

Techie nodded and chewed on his lower lip as the knight undid his belt and robes, balling them up into a small bundle near the side of him on the bed. Undoing his tunic, he kept it on, but opened completely for easier access. Once he was ready, Kylo reached over and took Techie’s hands into his and led them towards his middle. Hux watched, absently reaching up to stroke Techie’s hair, shoulders and back with his now cleaned hand, keeping his other arm stationary around the ginger’s middle. 

Now that he was allowed to look, Hux peered over Techie’s shoulder to watch intently. Kylo let Techie explore his undershirt covered abdomen for a bit, but then tugged on those hands encouragingly to go lower. Though he really wasn’t pressed for time, and nor was Hux – considering the General was free for another few hours, Kylo was getting impatient to feel Techie’s hands on him. Techie hesitated only for a second before he trailed his fingers down to Kylo’s waistband, nervously looking up to catch his Master’s gaze. Hux brushed Techie’s hair away from his face and leaned in to nibble at the Apprentice’s ear, whispering softly, “It’s ok Techie. Kylo wants this. And you want this, right?”

“Yes,” Techie breathed, licking his lips a bit, feeling his cock twitch again at the thought of what he was about to do to his Master.

“Then what are you waiting for?” Hux asked gently, nuzzling Techie’s neck, lamenting that the male’s undershirt was a turtle neck and therefore didn’t allow for him to kiss that soft skin he knew was lurking underneath that fabric.

“I’ve never touched someone else like this…. I don’t know what to do,” Techie admitted, again hesitating over Kylo’s pants.

 _So Kylo is getting a first as well,_ Hux thought in understanding. It made sense though that Techie didn’t know how to pleasure another like this. If the only experience he’d had with sex was just the basest of carnal satiation then he did still have much to learn. Watching someone touch another wasn’t going to cut it in this case. He’d have to experience it himself in order to understand what another person liked or didn’t like. From the look Kylo was giving Techie, Hux didn’t have to read his mind or access their bond to know that the Force sensitive honestly wouldn’t care what his first Apprentice did, just as long as those hands were on him.

Still, Techie wanted to make this good for Kylo, so he was putting the truth out into the open, posing the question without actually asking how to please his Master. Kylo leaned in and kissed Techie on the lips, noting that the ginger’s mouth was puffy and bruised from all of their kissing earlier. Breathing out a sigh, Kylo decided to help his first Apprentice out. 

Holding out his hand, he accepted the now almost empty bottle of lube from Hux and helped Techie coat his hands with it. Then he reached down, unbuttoned his pants and again led Techie’s hands down to his groin. This time though, he murmured against Techie’s lips, “Just focus on what you like to do to yourself. I like it rough sometimes too.”

Techie flushed, but nodded slowly, “Ok.” Fingering the knight’s briefs, he finally summed up his courage and slipped his hands beneath the fabric to touch him. 

Kylo tossed his head back and moaned softly, feeling intense pleasure when Techie’s hands touched his length for the first time. Leaning back slightly to give the ginger easier access, he blinked a few times and met Techie’s gaze. His eyes slightly swirled with gold and his body practically shook with the effort not to do anything but guide Techie, but the knight was in heaven – if there were such a thing. Euphoria raced through his veins, and Kylo let out a slow hiss when Techie finally tugged his cock out of his pants. 

Kylo liked to be touched, that was an understatement. And though he thoroughly enjoyed Hux’s touch on the most sensitive part of him, he knew that this was different. This was special. The fact that Techie was choosing him to be his first effort in pleasuring another person with his hands was not lost on Kylo. It made him feel slightly giddy and a bit too proud for his own good, but that was ok. He was allowed.

Techie leaned in and kissed Kylo shyly on the lips before he started stroking the knight’s velvet over steel. He reveled in the feel of Kylo’s cock, and loved the musky scent of it, along with the sight of his Master enjoying his ministrations. A bead of precome dribbled out of Kylo’s tip and fascinated, Techie’s bionic eyes riveted to the sight. Licking his lips and getting a naughty idea – as if what he was doing wasn’t naughty enough, Techie caught some of the essence on his fingers and reached up to taste it.

Kylo let out a soft, “Fuck, Techie,” before he reached up and tugged Techie’s face closer to his so he could kiss him and taste himself on those lips.

Techie whispered, “You taste good,” when he pulled away from Kylo’s kiss. Both Hux and Kylo let out hitched breaths at that.

“Kriff, Techie, you might just very well make me come again if you keep it up,” Hux teased lightly, nibbling Techie’s ear.

“I can’t help it,” Techie protested weakly before he started back up his ministrations of pleasuring Kylo.

Kylo was having trouble breathing, though he forced himself to relax. Techie was brand new to this, regardless of how much he had witnessed in his past. Though it probably would be very flattering to Techie for Kylo to let himself come already, it wasn’t practical. Techie wanted and needed to know how to make it really good for Kylo, so the knight forced himself to calm down.

He needed to make this last at least for a bit longer.

Techie tried to think of what he liked, and started applying more force into his strokes, tightening his grip and speeding things up a bit. The result was Kylo throwing back his head and moaning raggedly, as if he was already on edge. From the images and feelings he was getting from Kylo’s bond link, it seemed that the Force user was aroused to the point of almost letting go. 

Forcing himself to slow down to make this last, Techie watched Kylo close his eyes and let his mouth go slack, shuddering as the knight’s balls drew up. When Techie almost stilled his movements, Kylo opened his eyes and let out a frustrated groan, causing both Hux and his first Apprentice to chuckle. 

“I never knew you to be one for torture, Techie,” Kylo breathed out shakily.

“Hey, you were the one who told me to do what I liked, and I usually like drawing out my pleasure, so excuse me, _Master_ ,” Techie teased, smiling, taking full enjoyment of having Kylo at his mercy.

Hux narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and pecked Techie on his cheek with a smirk playing on his lips, “Mmmm, I definitely like where your mind is going with this, Techie. You definitely are going to fit in with us quite nicely if you continue to think like that.”

Techie flushed a bit but shrugged, still keeping his Master on edge. Once Kylo seemed to calm down a bit, the ginger started up again, this time tightening one of his fists almost to the point of being painful, but not enough to cause his Master any harm. From the increasing volume of his moans, Kylo was definitely enjoying this. After slowing down to a stop one last time, having Kylo nearly on the verge of snapping, Techie suddenly sped up the pace drastically, grip tightening over the other man’s tip with each stroke of his fist.

Kylo let out a roar as he came hard, nearly seeing stars in his vision. His come shot out all over his cock, Techie’s hands and even got a bunch on his abdomen and chest areas of his tunic. 

“Well that was delightfully explosive,” Hux mused softly as he looked over the trail of come littering Kylo’s torso. “I might have to enjoy that sort of stimulation myself at some point in the near future if you are willing, Techie.”

Techie turned and looked at Hux with a strange impish look on his face before the ginger kissed the General on the lips. In a perfect Hux impersonation, Techie said with full First Order accent, “Your wish is my command.”

Hux snorted at the same time Kylo let out a stifled huff of surprised laughter as they both heard that. Coming down from his high a lot slower than usual, Kylo licked his lips. Techie continued to stroke the knight, though easing up on his grip until it became a bit too much. Releasing Kylo’s cock, Techie raised his come covered hands to lap up some of the come. Wanting a taste, Hux reached over Techie’s shoulder and tugged the other man’s wrist.

Kylo watched through half-mast eyelids as his two lovers shared the experience of tasting his come. 

His cock twitching out a bit more come, Kylo let out a deep sigh. He could so get used to this.

They all could.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Five or so hours later, while Hux was finishing up his remainder of his shift, a small smirk planted on his face, body at ease and looking way less stressed than normal, Phasma and Mitaka shared a small knowing and pleased look. Apparently Kylo had done his job quite well in getting Hux to be in a good mood. Perhaps Phasma should enlist Kylo’s help more often.

“Sir, we just intercepted a transmission from the noted criminal organizations called Kanjiklub and Guavian Death Gang. They say that they spotted the fugitives and the droid in the company of Han Solo and the Wookie known as Chewbacca in the area near Cloud City on Bespin. Both organizations had scores to settle with Han Solo and had followed the Millennium Falcon to the Anoat Sector,” Mitaka relayed the information, feeling a bit nervous regardless if General Hux was in a better mood or not.

Any moment things could change for the better or worse. 

Hux scowled thoughtfully, but before he could relay the information to Kylo through their bond, the Force sensitive himself with a nervous looking Techie in tow arrived on the bridge. Kylo was garbed per the norm complete with his helmet and cowl, though his robes and belt were worn inside outwards. Though Hux could smell the combined scents of all of their come permeating from Kylo’s form, he noted that the humans on the bridge didn’t catch the smell unless they wandered too close to the moody knight. Most people kept well out of Kylo’s path however, and Techie’s by extension. 

Still, the fact that the knight was walking around wearing come splattered robes amused Hux to no end. Almost forgetting to keep his mood away from broadcasting all over his face, Hux started towards the two. Techie was trying very hard to scowl and look irritated – which really was impressive, but it was falling way short of the mark. The Apprentice looked like he’d rather be hiding under a computer desk than here on the bridge amidst so many people.

Apparently Kylo was getting Techie to test his mental defenses – or at least get used to concentrating on his own thoughts and drowning out all the others. The ginger hadn’t quite gotten up to learning how to block just yet, but at least his mental exercises were starting to pay off. Hux knew full well that the other man was practically quaking in his boots, but he still stood tall and tried to ignore the fact that he was scared out of his mind. There wasn’t much pain in Techie’s mind however, so that was a good sign.

Usually too much noise hurt Techie to the point he couldn’t stand it. 

Now, though, the Force sensitive seemed to be dealing with a much smaller bearable headache.

Clasping his gloved hands behind his back, Hux narrowed his gaze at Kylo, asking simply for the watching crew’s sake if not for anyone else’s, “What do we owe the immense _pleasure_ of yours and your Apprentice’s presence on the bridge, Ren?”

Kylo came to stand in front of Hux, cocking his head slightly, as if to say ‘what the hell is your problem?’ Straightening slightly, he nodded to Techie, “Not that I answer to you, but let’s just say that my Apprentice is testing his mental abilities and needs more exposure around other people.”

That caused a few people nearby to cringe. Keeping their faces and eyes concentrated on their work and not on the moody knight’s new Apprentice, the crew definitely didn’t want to have anything to do with finding out just what the tall lanky ginger was capable of. If he was anything like Kylo Ren, they DEFINITELY didn’t want to know.

Hux scowled and stiffened, stating, “Very well. But do not expect me to go leaping for joy about it. Make sure he does not interact with anyone and does not bother anyone’s minds. They are busy enough with important work and the less distraction the better.”

“Of course, defense mental work is all he will be practicing today,” Kylo stated dryly, causing the crew to relax slightly at that. But then he got up close and personal to Hux, making sure to enter his space invasively before saying bitingly, “Be thankful I am not having him test offensive abilities today, otherwise I might suggest him to start experimenting on _you._ ”

“Nice threat, Ren, but I doubt the Supreme Leader would condone it,” Kriff, his lips were twitching despite himself. Hux forced himself to grit his teeth and turn away from Ren, stalking back over to Mitaka, the two Force users following dutifully.

“It would be wise not to presume what the Supreme Leader would or would not condone, General Hux,” Kylo warned, but then eased up on his banter, changing the subject, “What is the status of the missing fugitives and droid?”

Techie relaxed a bit more, though when a few officers started looking at him, he took one from Kylo’s book and full out glowered at them – this time not having to put much effort into it. No wonder Kylo wore a mask to cover up his expressions. It was kriffingly irritating having people stare at him like he was some sort of horror attraction at a circus. That one look caused the officers to get back to work quickly, attention diverted. Smirking slowly, Techie figured he could perhaps get used to this. 

He would have to unless he wanted to start wearing a helmet like his Master.

Wrinkling his nose at the thought of having to wear something like that, Techie forced himself to listen to the conversation, trying hard to block out the noise coming from the minds of the people on the bridge. Most of the chatter dealt with their jobs or with the curiosity of seeing Techie on the bridge for the first time. The past few days Techie hadn’t come across very many officers or Stormtroopers, but now he was getting full frontal exposure. It felt a bit overwhelming and strange, but at least he was able to concentrate on his own thoughts for the most part and not have javelin thoughts from other people spearing into his mind. 

After their morning excursions, Techie and Kylo had focused on meditating and eventually mental pushing in their training lessons. They had left Hux to get himself ready for the day and had stopped by the kitchen to have a quick meal before starting up the training. Training had gone pretty well but also at an achingly slow pace. Techie had to remind himself not to get impatient with his progress, for Kylo often encouraged him the best he could. Now though, his hard work seemed to be paying off as he stood in the middle of the bridge with his Master and the General.

Though he couldn’t quite get the hang of pushing the random strangers’ thoughts away from his mind, he was able to drown out some of the noise. The pain levels were low as well, which Techie was immensely thankful for. 

“It seems that the Millennium Falcon was spotted in the Anoat Sector heading towards Bespin,” Hux relayed the information, noting the tensing of the knight’s body at the news. _Han Solo is helping the fugitives out, it seems_.

 _Cloud City. Why would he take them there unless….._ Kylo mused softly to himself before aloud he stated, “They must be meeting up with someone, perhaps from the Resistance.”

“Mmmm, it makes sense, but who would they meet up with? Cloud City no longer holds any old Rebellion groups in its populace, from what our sources say,” Hux said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“Perhaps he wanted to meet an old friend?” Techie asked, looking a bit nervous as he said it.

Feeling eyes start riveting to his figure again, Techie clenched his fists at his sides and let irritation wash over him. With a steely look nowhere in particular, Techie asked Kylo mentally, _Can I have your lightsaber, Master?_

 _No, you may not,_ Kylo stated, getting a bit amused. 

_I’d only scare them a little, I promise,_ Techie pleaded, feeling like he wanted to hurt something badly for once.

 _Then you **definitely** cannot have my lightsaber. It is a weapon to kill, not to flash about, _ Kylo chided, mentally reaching out and giving gentle reassurance to his first Apprentice.

 _Really? Then why do you flash it about whenever you are being oh so emotional?_ Hux teased lightly, but aloud he said, “That’s an interesting theory. Lando Calrissian may not be in charge of Cloud City anymore but he could still use it as a place of contact for his allies.”

 _I do not flash it about,_ Kylo petulantly stated before he added, _I let the Dark Side of the Force control my emotions for a bit as a powerful outlet. It makes me feel better to destroy something than to keep my emotions contained. It physically hurts to keep everything bottled up._

 _Call it what you like, Ren,_ Hux said, feeling through their bond that Techie was calming down a bit more at the light humor.

Kylo ignored the teasing tone, aloud saying, “That is possible, but not probable. We will need to discuss with the Supreme Leader a plan of attack or a plan of infiltration immediately.”

“Plan of attack? Are you mad?” Hux breathed out, “Bespin might be remotely located in the Outer Rim, and they might not have members of the old Rebellion staged there, but they do have advanced resources and they might call on the New Republic for help. If our Starkiller base was fully operational then I wouldn’t mind discussing a plan of attack on both places but as it is, we still only have limited resources to attack something of that scale.”

Attacking and conquering smaller sectors and systems was what the First Order had been doing while Starkiller base was being built. Small villages, less populated planets rich in resources had helped them grow in strength and size – slowly, but effectively. Once Starkiller base was fully operational, then they would have the means and resources to take out the Republic and anyone else that stood in their way of conquering the galaxy. Now, though they had to proceed carefully. Unless there was a direct confirmation of where the Resistance base was located, they shouldn’t be rash on exhausting too much of their limited firepower and strength.

“You must be going deaf in your old age, General Hux. I also stated plan of infiltration,” Kylo snapped. “If we are not able to attack the city directly, then we can think of a way to get in before it’s too late and capture at least the droid.”

Hux scowled a bit at the poorly used but effective jab to his faculties, though inwardly he snickered. Leave it to Kylo to go after his age and sense of hearing of all things. The General shot back, “I assure you, I heard everything quite clearly. Infiltration might take too long, but it has merit. Let us call a meeting with the Supreme Leader directly.”

“Indeed,” Kylo stated, turning to look at his first Apprentice, “Apprentice Willtech Ren, you will stay on the bridge with Captain Phasma and continue to work on your mental defenses while I and General Hux brief the Supreme Leader. If she needs your help with adjusting anything technical, assist her.”

“Yes, Master Ren,” Techie stated firmly, feeling a strange warm and fuzzy feeling roiling up in his veins at the mention of his unofficial new name. Bill Huxley hadn’t really fit him as an alias anyways. Willtech Ren had potential. It sounded more like something he could grow into eventually. He would still go by Techie to those closest to him, but the full name could definitely work professionally.

Techie walked over towards Phasma, trying hard not to let the giddy vibes overtake him as he went. The captain cocked her head at him, but otherwise made no comment on his new name or anything else. Instead, she said simply, “Well met, Apprentice.”

“Captain,” Techie replied, ever one to be polite.

It should have frightened him to be on the bridge with so many strangers around without the comforting presence of General Hux and his Master, but it really didn’t. Perhaps it was due to the fact that Phasma was there and he felt more comfortable keeping her company than anyone else on the bridge. He knew of Mitaka from his lovers’ thoughts as well as the captain’s, but he’d never actually met the man in person. Now though, he noted that the man was fidgety but seemed to calm down quite well once Master Ren and the General had departed. 

Giving the Lieutenant a curious glance, he caught a bit of the other man’s nervous thoughts and felt like smirking in amusement. The man was absolutely terrified of his Master. He seemed to be on good terms with Hux, but even that was a bit overwhelming to him. Feeling a bit of sympathy and compassion roll over him, Techie offered the other man a small reassuring smile.

Mitaka relaxed even further, noting that Kylo Ren’s Apprentice seemed to be nice enough, if not overly friendly – the complete opposite of his moody Master. Still, he did note that when others started staring at the long haired Apprentice, the ginger full out glowered at them, causing the crew to go back to work. Apparently the man had fire in him after all, and absolutely hated to be stared at. Good to know. 

Phasma snickered softly, stating, “They will eventually get over it. You’ll be yesterday’s news in a week or so.”

“I can’t wait,” Techie sighed miserably.

“It’s not like they have anything else to new to gossip about,” Not yet anyways. Phasma kept the conversation light for the next half hour.

Slowly, little by little, Techie calmed completely, and felt more at ease. True, it would always be a trial for Techie to be in a crowded area regardless of where it was – no amount of training would be able to fix that for him, but at least he wouldn’t have to be scared out of his wits every time. Eventually, Techie assumed that he’d start going into a situation like this with determination and boldness instead of nervousness and fear. Perhaps he’d even start being confident like the General, if not his Master.

It was definitely something to look forward to.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

“That was kind of you; giving him a new name,” Hux told Kylo as they made their way to the Supreme Leader’s antechamber. 

“He chose the first name himself, though I allowed him to take on my last name. It fits him, and made sense to use it, even if it’s still unofficial,” Kylo explained, keeping his voice soft to make sure they weren’t overheard as they stalked their way down the crowded halls.

Officers, personnel and Stormtroopers either saluted or made way for the pair to pass, not wanting to be caught slacking in front of their superiors. Hux arched a brow at Kylo’s explanation but then shrugged, “It was still a nice gesture. It means a whole lot to Techie.”

“Yes, it does,” Kylo affirmed, pausing once they got to the antechamber.

Reaching out with the Force, the knight told Techie calmly that he would be blocking him from the meeting, but he would leave some cracks just in case the ginger needed to contact him. Hux would do the same if he had to, but hopefully he wouldn’t need to. He didn’t want to hurt Techie or Kylo – considering he still had to work on pushing the two away first, but if the situation called for it, he would do what was necessary. He did push Techie’s thoughts away from his mind for the most part. Kylo pulled up his mental shields, this time gently. Once they were in place and the two co-commanders had gathered their wits about them, Kylo sent the mental signal to the Supreme Leader that they had news.

After a few moments the Supreme Leader replied back that he was ready for them, and so the two proud men headed into the antechamber, schooling their actions carefully. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------

The gargantuan holo of the Supreme Leader towered over them as Hux relayed the information received earlier. Kylo then took over with possible courses of actions. Leader Snoke listened to each one’s comments before he took a moment to think of a possible plan.

Finally he stated softly, “General Hux is correct in assuming that it would be disadvantageous for us to proceed with an attack on Cloud City. However, I will not dismiss the notion entirely. If what you say is true, Lord Ren, then infiltration will need to be sought out first. If that fails, then we can discuss possible attack scenarios if the droid is still located in Cloud City.”

After another long moment of silence, he added, “We must proceed very carefully.”

“I can lead the infiltration, Master,” Kylo volunteered.

When Snoke and Hux looked at him as if he’d grown another head, he explained, “I know Cloud City. I know its defenses, weaknesses, everything. I know what to look for, and with an adequate disguise I will be able to slip in and leave with the droid efficiently with minimal complications.”

Hux’s jaw dropped, but before he could protest, the Supreme Leader nodded slowly, “Very well. You will need to create a very good disguise then.”

“I can do that,” Kylo said with a nod, “I can pose as a worker, perhaps a technician of some sort.”

“You have got to be joking, Ren,” Hux finally said, exasperated, though from the annoyed look he got from Kylo, he quieted. Kylo was dead serious about this. Finally, not being able to keep quiet for long, he asked, “And what of your new Apprentice? I won’t babysit him if that’s what you had in mind. I may not know a whole lot of Masters and Apprentices, but I know enough to understand the importance of being close together during the first few months of training. You leaving him right at the beginning of his training would accomplish nothing. And I simply don’t have the time or the patience to be his wet nurse if he has a problem.”

“Do not underestimate my Apprentice, General Hux. Apprentice Willtech Ren will have no issue with this. He understands I need to go on missions on my own at times. If the Force wills it, I will be back in a short amount of time. And no, you don’t need to babysit him or be his wet nurse. He is a fully grown man and knows how to handle himself. If he has an issue he can contact me through our Force bond and we will deal accordingly,” Kylo snapped, almost forgetting that the two of them weren’t alone in the antechamber.

“Enough,” Snoke chided softly, effectively quieting the banter. When both men looked up at him, visibly trying to keep their emotions in check, the Supreme Leader smirked slowly. He may be old, but he wasn’t _that_ old. 

Hux looked worried, moreso than usual when it came to Kylo going off on missions by himself. There was no jealousy on his face, nor was there any wounded pride. And his Apprentice seemed to be less hostile towards his normal adversarial co-commander. Yes, his Apprentice had defended his actions, but not once had belittled the General in any shape or form in his comments.

Something must have changed very recently. Though he normally didn’t care what went on in the private lives of his loyal subordinates, he did enjoy a bit of discord once in a while. Let’s see what happens when I separate them. Always plotting and scheming, the Supreme Leader did have to admit he was a bit curious. Finally he said after much deliberation, “Though normally I wouldn’t care too much about you both barking at each other like rabid curs, we have precious little time to spare.”

“Yes, Supreme Leader,” Hux said, feeling a bit like a scolded child.

Kylo said nothing, just stared sullenly up at his Master. Snoke stated, “General Hux is right, my willful Apprentice. And you are also right. Therefore we have a bit of a dilemma. I remember you stating that the man was formerly a Surveillance Technician.”

When Kylo nodded, narrowing his eyes through his helmet, Snoke went on, “Very well then. He will just have to accompany you on your mission.”

Before Kylo made an attempt to protest, the Supreme Leader held up a hand, stopping him. “It is not up for discussion. It makes sense. Your new Apprentice will have you to defend him if things go unfavorable, but he will assist in making sure you are able to get where you need to go. Him being a Technician works in our favor and it will smooth your cover story quite well. Your Force bond will allow you to gain information necessary for your ‘new job’ and make the process in capturing the droid much quicker.”

“Yes, Master,” Kylo whispered, starting to fidget slightly.

The Supreme Leader then turned to look at Hux, “General Hux.”

“Yes, Supreme Leader,” Hux breathed out, trying very hard not to panic. 

“You will go to Starkiller base and oversee the status of the weapon. I know you told me that it will be another few months before it is fully operational, but I find sometimes a leader being in the presence of his subordinates helps motivate them to move faster and more efficiently. I will want to have your full status report in two weeks.” When Hux nodded at the new set of orders, the Supreme Leader dismissed him.

“How long will you give us to complete our mission, Master?” Kylo asked, feeling trepidation run through his veins.

“Two weeks. By then, if the droid has not been obtained, we will move on to a battle strategy,” The Supreme Leader stated softly, watching his Apprentice carefully. The only reaction Kylo gave him was the clenching of his fists. Interesting. Still, “You seem troubled, my Apprentice. Tell me what is bothering you.”

“It’s nothing,” Kylo was hasty to say.

“Mmmm… could it be that you are apprehensive about possibly meeting your father, Han Solo during your mission?” Snoke mused, taking the time to prod at Kylo’s mental defenses. Finding nothing except for the small cracks allowing a bit of filtration towards the knight’s Apprentice, Snoke eased up on the assault. 

“He means nothing to me,” Kylo said softly, adding, “He will be struck down if he stands in our way. I won’t fail on the mission. Nor will my Apprentice.”

“See that you do not, Lord Ren,” Snoke said, ending the holo call.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Of all the karking mad and insane ideas you’ve had up to date, Ren, this – this takes the kriffing _star destroyer_!” Hux all but growled at Kylo when they entered the General’s quarters, sending mental signals to Techie to come meet them there. 

“It’s not that big of a deal, Hux,” Kylo said, taking off his helmet and placing it on the end table near the door. “Plus it’s only for a couple of weeks. If the Force wills it, Techie and I might be joining you on Starkiller base in a shorter amount of time.”

“You really don’t get it do you?” Hux huffed, practically livid with the infuriating man. When Kylo went to touch him, to offer some sort of comfort, the General slapped his gloved hands away, “It’s not that I actually need blood – honestly I could just go ahead and use blood packs from the med bay – disgusting but if it came to that, I would deal with it.”

Now he was babbling he was so fucking mad. Kylo scowled at Hux’s rejection to his touch, but forced himself to stay calm. His mental shields dropped, allowing both Techie and Hux to feel his thoughts and emotions. Hux let out a loud sigh of relief but still growled lowly, “That’s unfair.”

Kylo tried to touch him again and Hux pressed a palm up against his chest staying his movements. Hux glowered at the knight and bit out, “You just don’t get it. You really don’t. You dressing up in bantha knows what trying to infiltrate under the pretense of a technician – you really are setting yourself up to fail. Your father might be there, and I don’t care how much you’ve changed since you last saw him but a man close to his family knows exactly what his son looks like even if under a disguise. He’ll recognize you.”

“You have so little faith in me, Hux,” Kylo murmured, getting from the General’s thoughts that it was quite the opposite. The _dhampyre_ was just trying to cover up his fear. “Besides, Han Solo wasn’t around often when I was Ben Solo. I doubt he remembers much besides a twenty three year old that couldn’t control his temper and who had yelling matches with him at every family gathering. And you forget I’ll have Techie by my side the whole time. We won’t fail. Even if I have to kill Han Solo, we will not fail.”

Techie arrived, blinking a bit when the door opened to admit him. Apparently Hux had had his security lock to his quarters changed or Kylo had used the Force to let him in. The scene he encountered when he came inside caused him almost to stop in his tracks. Hux looked on the verge of losing it. _Literally_.

“Was the meeting that bad?” Techie asked, worried. Kylo turned to look at his Apprentice and mentally showed him the entire thing, leaving nothing out.

Instead of being upset about the prospect of going on his first mission with Kylo a whole lot sooner than he’d thought, Techie felt a huge sigh of relief whoosh out of his mouth. At least the two were ok and hadn’t been hurt. Coming over to stand near the two, Techie looked from his Master to Hux, trying to understand the emotions and thoughts running through both of them.

“Just say it, Hux,” Kylo whispered softly, reaching down to cover Hux’s gloved hand with his own. 

“I am saying it, you just aren’t listening,” Hux said, starting to tremble in spite of himself. His eyes flashed red as his control continued to slip. “You could die out there, Techie could. Then I’d be alone again. I’d have to take up my suppressants again.”

“Don’t you dare,” Techie broke in, effectively glomping the other man to Hux’s surprise.

Kylo let out a breath of relief as the tension broke. A nerve wracked Techie was the norm, and he was slowly getting used to it because that was the way his first Apprentice was. A nerve wracked Hux was definitely something he didn’t want to get used to. Hux usually was calm, collected, and cold. He seemed so invincible, and even though Kylo enjoyed seeing all sides of the General – the good along with the bad, seeing fear plastered all over the _dhampyre’s_ normal stoic face was not something he liked one bit. Apparently the General had abandonment issues – which made total sense given his past. 

Not only that, but the man was starting to give in whole heartedly to the Force bond, letting it tie him to their triad even more. And though normally Kylo would be ecstatic about that fact, it also made him worry a bit for Hux’s sanity. There might come a time where the Force bond wouldn’t allow them to be separated until they fully claimed one another. As the bonds strengthened, so would their sense of needing to be at each other’s sides at all cost.

Once they claimed eachother the bond would settle down a bit, and feel complete. They’d still have issues being separated but it wouldn’t be as bad as this. Kylo had thought that the bond wouldn’t progress as fast as it was and therefore hadn’t even pondered on the fact that they’d have an issue if he went on alone missions.

All of them would just have to deal with this until they claimed eachother completely. 

Techie littered Hux’s face with kisses, distracting Hux from panicking even more. Hux let out a ragged growl in annoyance as he let his anger and fear go. Kriff, how was he ever going to stay mad at Kylo if Techie was there to calm him down? Kissing the other ginger soundly, Hux held him in his arms for a long while, just enjoying the feeling of being cared for. Eventually Kylo was allowed into the hugging session, though Hux did pull away slightly to mock glower at him.

“I’m still mad at you,” The General murmured bitterly.

“I’d be worried if you weren’t,” Kylo replied, leaning in to give Hux a slow kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Light mentions of past non consent / past rape for Techie, otherwise nothing else for Triggers that I can think of. As always, if you come across anything that seems like it should be mentioned as a Trigger, let me know and I will add.
> 
> Next chapter - enter Matt the Radar Technician (brought to you by Kylo Ren). XD


	10. “Ren, you look absolutely ridiculous!” (or enter Matt the Radar Technician)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, here is the next chapter - and there is a bunch of funny parts - seriously could NOT help myself. Enjoy :)
> 
> Trigger warnings as always are at the bottom of the chapter.

### Chapter 10: “Ren, you look absolutely ridiculous!” (or enter Matt the Radar Technician).

“Stop laughing,” Kylo glowered at Hux, who was currently bent over at the stomach practically _cackling_

He’d never seen Hux laugh so hard in all the time he’d known him. If it weren’t for the fact that he knew exactly what Hux was laughing about, he’d wonder about the man’s mental stability. The General’s face was blazing red and actual tears were streaming down his face. His whole body was shaking with mirth. Even Techie was trying his best not to laugh – of which Kylo greatly appreciated. Still, even his first Apprentice was having a hard time keeping a straight face.

Clenching his fists at his sides, Kylo huffed irritably, “I fail to see any humor in this situation.”

“Ren….” Hux tried, he really did. But, the words failed him as he started back up in infectious raucous laughter. 

“…..”

“Ren – I’m sorry….”

More laughter.

Kylo gritted his teeth.

After a few more minutes, Hux managed to get out, “Ren, you look absolutely _ridiculous!_ ” Hux fought to catch his breath, feeling like he was going to burst a kriffing lung. He again looked at Kylo and ended up dissolving into more snorts and chuckles.

“It’s a good disguise,” Kylo defended, starting to get more than a little annoyed. 

Hux rubbed his stomach. “Kriff, you are right about that, but _honestly_ ….” More laughter started up before the _dhampyre_ managed to finish with, “Bl-blonde hair and **glasses**?”

“They aren’t _THAT_ bad,” The knight said petulantly, starting to lose patience with the General.

“And….and, kriff, ow – laughing should not _hurt_ – karking hell,” Hux breathed before looking at the knight again, which caused him to wheeze out another chortle, “And those _clothes!_ They make you look like a poster child for Tan Hutt Merchandise.”

“Oh come on, Hux, it’s not that bad!” Techie protested, feeling if he didn’t step in soon, then Kylo would _murder_ Hux and that definitely wasn’t something he wanted to witness right before they arrived at Cloud City. “I even helped pick out his glasses – he’ll fit right in with us nerds.”

Hux took in gasps of breaths as he tried in vain to calm down. The picture of Techie defending Kylo was quite adorable really. And the other men were correct – Kylo did look like an unassuming grumpy technician. The effect probably wouldn’t even have phased Hux if it wasn’t for the fact that Kylo was the one trying to pull it off. Finally managing to catch his breath, Hux slowly straightened and pushed his ruffled hair back into place. “Damnit Ren, I haven’t laughed that hard in my entire existence.”

“I am glad to be your source of entertainment,” Kylo deadpanned moodily before he reached out with the Force and put slight pressure on the other man’s throat in warning. Hux narrowed his eyes, but got the message. If he’d been any other person besides himself, Techie, or perhaps the Supreme Leader, then he’d probably be dead by now. Kylo definitely did not take kindly to being laughed at. Hux was lucky that their relationship was very different now, otherwise even he wouldn’t have dared to laugh openly at Kylo.

Sobering mostly except for the occasional snicker, Hux couldn’t help but tease the knight just a bit more, “No, seriously, Ren. Thank you. I actually needed that laugh.”

Kylo felt rage flood through his veins and gritting his teeth against it, he tightened the pressure around Hux’s throat, definitely not amused. Techie looked worriedly at Hux when the man started coughing and reaching for his throat. When Techie let out a distressed noise and reached out to touch his Master to try and get him to let up on the assault, Hux waved a hand at the angry knight, gasping out, “Ok, ok I got the message. No more laughing, I promise.”

Kylo sighed deeply and released Hux, still angry and frustrated, but willing to take the man’s apology for what it was. Stalking past Hux, Kylo awkwardly sat down in the mock transport shuttle. Hux had insisted on accompanying the two men for the short ride to Cloud City. Once the shuttle dropped the two off, Hux would return with the shuttle and he and the rest of the crew aboard the Finalizer would head to Starkiller base. 

The three of them had gotten hardly any sleep the night before, staying up late talking about the mission, how they were going to be able to keep in contact, etc. What little sleep they had been able to acquire had been littered with nightmares – especially for Techie. Though the new Apprentice ironically wasn’t that scared about heading off to his very first mission with his Master, he was freaking out about Hux being alone on Starkiller base. The man had practically clung to him and dry sobbed through some of the night, fearing for Hux’s life more than his own or Kylo’s. 

It was rather sweet of Techie to feel that way, especially since the poor man had been through so much in his young life. 

However, it wasn’t like there was any way to change things. Hux had to follow orders, so did Kylo and Techie. If Kylo hadn’t volunteered for the job, who’s to say that Leader Snoke might not have ordered the man to go on the mission? And even if they weren’t having to deal with being separated now, they would still have to deal with the probability in the near future regardless. After Hux had calmed down the night before, and after Techie and Kylo had given him more care than he’d ever thought he’d deserve, the General had rationally thought about everything. Kylo had been right: this wasn’t the end of the universe. And if things worked out in their favor, then both Kylo and Techie would be joining him at Starkiller base in less than two weeks. 

Techie looked over at Hux, chiding softly, “You shouldn’t tease him like that. You aren’t the one who’s going to have to deal with his bad mood once we land.”

“I do apologize, Techie, but I couldn’t help it.” Hux pecked the other man on the lips before he admitted, “And you both are right, it is a good disguise.”

Kylo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms awkwardly over his neon orange utility harness. 

His mouth twitching slightly at the moody act, Hux came over to join Kylo. He sat down across from him in the small space and reached out to grasp the knight’s chin. Kylo swallowed slightly when Hux leaned in to kiss him. The Force sensitive’s mood slowly improved with the gentle apology. Pulling away slightly, Hux firmly stated, “Though I totally deserved it, don’t Force choke me again unless you are _naked_.”

Techie flushed scarlet as he sat down next to Kylo. He took hold of one of Kylo’s hands and chewed on his lower lip as he looked at the General with morbid curiosity.

“Force choking makes you hot?” Kylo asked, arching a brow at the new tidbit of information.

Hux waggled his eyebrows and stretched. Spreading his legs as much as he could in the cramped space, the General showed just how much he still was being affected by what happened earlier. Both Techie and Kylo’s eyes went straight down to Hux’s open thighs and noted the bulge there. Hux wasn’t necessarily rock hard, but he wasn’t soft either. 

Feeling his own cock twitch, Techie rubbed his free hand on his leg as a distraction. 

“I apparently have a new kink, I suppose,” Hux admitted with a wry smile.

“I’ll have to remember that,” Kylo said, mood lifting even more.

Techie then blurted out, his brain to mouth filter null and void, “I like knives.”

Both men turned to look at him with shocked expressions. Then amusement filtered over their thoughts and facial expressions as Techie explained with a flush, “Well I do. Especially curved ones. The metal feels good on my skin and the danger aspect is…is nice too. It’s hot.” 

Techie then looked down at Kylo and his joined hands and felt a bit embarrassed. Unwillingly, memories of the past came up to haunt him. He remembered when Ma-Ma had found out about his little fetish. He wasn’t sure how she had – or how anyone had known in order to tell her. But, she’d tried to use the information against him one time back at Peach Trees – and the act had almost destroyed him. But, then he felt his thoughts be pulled back to the present when Kylo and Hux sent him feelings of reassurance and understanding. Hux and Kylo wouldn’t ever do that sort of thing to him.

“Well then, will wonders never cease?” Hux mused, leaning in to kiss the other ginger soothingly. “You’ll have to show us what you like sometime in the near future.”

Techie bit his lower lip and nodded slowly, feeling relief wash over him.

Kylo gave his first Apprentice’s hand a squeeze before he reached over and pushed the ginger’s hair away from his face with his other hand. Kylo caught his gaze and admitted awkwardly, “I like chains. The concept of being tied up is erotic to me.”

Somehow that information did not surprise Hux or Techie one bit. Hux sighed and was about to comment when their com system started beeping. They were getting ready to depart. Giving the other two a last few kisses, Hux left the small cargo hold to check on Mitaka. Luckily Mitaka kept his thoughts to himself and didn’t say a word about how General Hux looked a bit tussled, otherwise Kylo might have to have done something about it. 

As it was, Mitaka knew to keep to his own business. 

That was one of the only reasons why the General was allowing Mitaka to pilot the shuttle. Otherwise he would have done it himself. “Sir,” Mitaka breathed a bit nervously.

“Carry on, Lieutenant,” Hux said softly, bracing his feet as they took off.

Captain Phasma had control of the Finalizer until Mitaka and the General returned. As they left the ship behind, Hux couldn’t help feeling a sense of foreboding that sent chills up and down his spine. Coldness dropped like lead in the pit of his stomach, but the ginger ignored it. Regardless if he was getting a bad feeling about this, they couldn’t very well abort it now. 

He just hoped that Kylo and Techie were successful, and that Starkiller base was progressing smoother than expected. 

Never one to dismiss his gut instincts, however, Hux walked back to his lovers and gave them each a small easily hid com. “These are just in case for whatever reason you cannot contact me through the Force bond or holo. I don’t have to stress the importance on keeping these hidden in safe places on your person, do I?”

Techie shook his head no, while Kylo narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

“If anything becomes amiss, I wish to know immediately, you understand?” Hux added, trying hard not to mother hen the two. “I might be further away than wanted, but I will make sure you both get backup if needed.”

“Thank you, Hux,” Techie said softly, putting the com in his boot.

Kylo, after much deliberation, did the same. Those were the safest places until they went through security. The Supreme Leader had been able to secure jobs and housing for the both of them, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t be put through a random inspection upon arrival at Cloud City. The coms were small enough to avoid detection, but it was best to keep them near the durasteel plates in their boots so that the small signatures were disguised. 

Hux sat down with them for a bit longer, the three silent and contemplative as they waited for the short trip to end.

Techie reached out and took Hux’s hand, saying softly, “You be careful, too.”

Hux offered a small smile, “I always am.”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hi, I’m Matt. I’m a radar technician,” Kylo rumbled, narrowing his eyes challengingly at the various workers milling around a large dining / mess hall some 200 or so levels below the sky floor. 

Techie squeezed his hand comfortingly, and Kylo gritted out, “And this is my love, Techie. He’s a software systems genius. If anyone so much as _looks_ or **speaks** to him the wrong way, there will be a problem.”

Techie shyly waved, feeling pleasant vibes go through him at Kylo’s words. It didn’t help much in settling his nerves or uneasiness, but it still was very sweet of his Master acting all possessive and protective over him. Techie knew that Kylo probably wouldn’t have been so confrontational if it hadn’t been for the fact that the ginger was basking in fear and worry. It wasn’t like Techie could help it though.

The fellow workers that were close enough to them to hear Kylo’s growl arched brows at the two, but then they just shrugged and went back to their various personal businesses. Kylo grit his teeth, trying to keep himself from lashing out at the workers acting like he was just some random nobody. It was, after all, part of the plan, wasn’t it? To blend in and be unassuming. No one here knew he was Kylo Ren. 

And hopefully that would continue during their stay.

Kylo tugged on Techie’s hand and nearly drug the ginger over to the lunch line, wanting nothing more than to strangle or Force shove people out of their way. Techie stuck close to Kylo – not like he had a choice, almost wondering if his Master was as afraid of crowds as he was.

 _Not afraid. I hate crowds. There’s a big difference,_ Kylo voiced into Techie’s mind. _It doesn’t feel right without my normal attire. I feel naked._

 _Well, I’m kind of glad you aren’t naked – though I know some people get off on being in front of a crowd. I’d get jealous though, and so would Hux,_ Techie replied honestly, absently bumping up against his Master’s back as someone brushed by without any concept of personal bubbles whatsoever.

Rude.

After Hux and Mitaka had left, the two had luckily passed through the somewhat lax security checks with flying colors. Kylo had barely kept himself from beating the shit out of some of the guards frisking Techie, though. Unfortunately, he had to keep a low profile with his Force sensitivity. He could reach out and sense through the Force, but it was best not to try not to manipulate anyone – much less a guard who might or might not have been trained to keep their minds shielded against Force sensitives. Otherwise the security guard that got a bit too friendly with Techie would have been missing a limb or all of them.

They had been able to find their temporary modest quarters fifty five or so floors down from the sky level. Once settling in, putting their bags down, etc, Kylo had brought out the various pieces of his lightsaber cross guard to reassemble. Ever one to be paranoid and protective over his lightsaber, Kylo had taken the extra precaution to carry it in various pieces on his person and in his luggage passing through security. Cloud City wasn’t that strict when it came to enforcing their ‘no weapons’ policy, but Kylo hadn’t wanted to take any chances. 

While reassembling it back together, Kylo showed and explained the mechanisms with his first Apprentice. Though it would be still quite a while before Techie and Hux were able to make their own, Kylo still hadn’t wanted to miss the chance to show off his lightsaber. Techie had listened with rapt attention, and Hux did by extension as much as the General was able. The man was already headed to Starkiller base, though the _dhampyre_ had left a cloaked smaller ship on standby in orbit around Bespin just in case Kylo needed some backup protection.

After grabbing some edible looking food – though not very palatable to the Force sensitives’ taste buds, the two found an empty area near the back of the mess hall to sit at. Kylo scowled down at his food, but ate it, knowing regardless of how unappetizing the slop was, it was still sustenance. Techie, not being blessed with a durasteel stomach, ate what he could before pushing his plate over to Kylo to finish off. Kylo arched a brow, but didn’t comment and took the extra bit of food.

Techie sighed softly and tried to practically wallow in Kylo’s head instead of his own. Kylo understood why, so he didn’t mind for today. The next few days were going to be trying on all of the triad, and whatever comfort Techie could get, Kylo would let him take it.

The ginger still trembled as he nervously looked around. It helped that his Master was there, his thoughts only on the mission, not much else. Hux, though physically not there, was still mentally – as if he was right there next to them and not heading further and farther away. That also helped. But, as more workers filed into the mess hall, Techie got more overwhelmed. The noise level grew to a chaotic level in the area and Techie clenched Kylo’s hand until his knuckles turned white.

It was starting to give him a headache despite him being immersed in Kylo’s less chaotic mind. Focus, Techie, Kylo mentally murmured, rubbing soothingly against his first Apprentice’s awareness. Techie took in a slow breath and released it, trying to focus on Kylo and not the random shouting thoughts from the stranger workers milling around. Kylo huffed, leaning over to kiss Techie on the lips, effectively silencing the noise in the man’s head for one long blissful moment. Techie sighed softly and whispered into Kylo’s mind, _Thank you Master and I’m sorry._

 _Don’t be,_ Kylo pulled away, smirking slightly.

 _Can you sense them?_ Techie whispered, meaning FN-2187 or Kylo’s father.

 _Not yet. Too many people in the city, but I know that if there’s a meeting place for Lando or my father, then it’ll probably be located in one of the casinos,_ Kylo admitted. Unless his father had changed in the past six years, that was the best place to start looking for the fugitives and the droid.

Kylo added, _But, with your help, we can at least see if the Millennium Falcon is still here or not. I sense something else here though. It feels like…._

 _Like what?_ Techie asked, his bionic eyes whirring as he narrowed them at his Master.

Kylo raised his head and reached out more with the Force. Feeling strange presences he hadn’t detected earlier he licked his lips before answering Techie, _Like others. Two other Force sensitives._

_Two? You can sense them?_

_Yes. In fact…. Try to reach out into the Force like I am doing. If you feel a slight pull anywhere, that’s what I am talking about._

Techie shivered and took a moment to find his center before reaching out. He tried not to focus on anything in particular, but it still felt weird. It wasn’t as difficult as touching his inner core had been for the first time, but it was still odd. Kylo’s hand was like a lifeline, grounding him as he explored the city and beyond it, the Force moving through everything. It was difficult not to get distracted however. 

Kylo mentally tugged Techie’s awareness backwards, away from the busy city. It almost felt like Techie was hovering through a different reality, just letting the Force and his Master guide him.

 _There?_ Techie asked, sensing something strange. It was like there were two strange presences in the Force nearby. _Are they recent? I’ve never felt them before. Not that I even knew that there was a way to feel them._

 _They are recently awakened, I presume. But, the reason why you haven’t felt them before now is that you don’t share a bond with them. My Master and myself know how to sense Force signatures and Awakenings. That’s how I found you. The others must have awakened during the same time you did._ Kylo answered.

_Is that a bad thing?_

_It could be, or it may be nothing. The Force is all about balance. If these two are untrained, perhaps we can sway them to join us if we encounter them._

_And if not? If they are enemies?_ Techie asked, not fearful, just worried.

 _Then Hux was right to feel uneasy. However, if anyone stands in our way, I will destroy them,_ Kylo said, his mental voice full of determination.

 _I believe you. And if anything’s left after you get through with them, Master, then I’ll shove them out of one of the gravity tunnel fan chutes,_ Techie stated firmly.

Kylo turned to look his Apprentice in the eye again, a small smirk playing on his lips. “Bloodthirsty; I like it. Keep thinking that way until we finish our mission and we’ll do fine.”

“I’ll try Master,” Techie replied with a sheepish smile.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

After heading out to explore some, Kylo kept a close Force eye out for the two other Force sensitives. Techie and himself were not due to start working at their temporary jobs until the next morning so they had the rest of the day to pretty much do what they wanted to. Kylo tugged Techie towards the casinos, but he didn’t go inside them. Whenever he passed the thriving businesses, he would check the Force signatures nearby and even had Techie practice on doing the same as a distraction to keep his Apprentice from getting too overwhelmed. 

After they scanned an entire casino, they would move on. Techie was able to hack into the security systems for video feed on one of the panels near one casino, though they had to be careful he wasn’t spotted. While Kylo kept a look out and covered Techie with his larger and more intimidating frame, the ginger checked on the feeds for a few long minutes. “The Millennium Falcon isn’t here anymore – or at least at any of the normal docking bays. They might have hidden it in a private area.”

Kylo huffed, nodding slowly, “They could be keeping here somewhere near Lando’s old flat. We can still keep a look out when possible for Han Solo and his companions. Even if he isn’t here anymore, we need to exhaust all possibilities.” When Techie nodded, Kylo asked, “Can you check the security feeds for FN-2187?”

“Sure. I have full control of the system, though it might be a few more minutes,” Techie said, tapping a few more keys, eyes whirring as he scanned the small flat screen panel.

Kylo continued to keep watch over the area, not being able to resist reaching out with the Force to direct people away from the area. Surprisingly there were no cameras in this section of the level. Strange that security had become so lax over the years. When growing up as Ben Solo, Kylo remembered seeing lots of security whenever they came to visit Lando at his old condo or just to have a small vacation from his mother’s job. Though Lando never did take up the position as Baron-Administrator again, he was still treated as an honorary guest and war hero and also had his condo open to any of his close friends.

Techie said excitedly, “Ok, I found him. It looks like he just passed the hover port on level 22, heading away from one of the bigger Casinos called Yanith Bespin.”

Forcing himself not to act just yet, Kylo asked, “Alone?”

“No. The girl is with him but not the droid,” Techie said, turning to look at the back of Kylo’s blond wig. 

“Kriff,” Kylo hissed, scowling more. 

“I’m searching right now to see how many BB units there are on board as well,” Techie said, reaching over to rub one of Kylo’s arms.

“No, you don’t have to do that. It’ll take too long to do. Best to stick with FN-2187 and the girl for now,” Kylo said, reaching down and grabbing Techie’s hand.

“Ok, sounds like a plan,” Techie shrugged, putting the data panel back as it had been and wiping his long sleeved mustard colored shirt on the screen to get his fingerprints off of it.

“We’ll keep watch over their movements and approach them once the droid is spotted,” Kylo suggested as they moved away from the area, heading back towards their quarters.

“What if we run into them?” Techie asked curiously.

Kylo gritted his teeth and shrugged, “Then we’ll improvise.”

\--------------------------------------------------

Techie couldn’t help looking around in awe as they passed various shops and supply stores on their way back to their quarters. Supreme Leader Snoke had accommodated them with a moderately sized dorm room/refresher suite that had two beds – but Techie knew that his Master and himself would want to push the two beds together so they could cuddle the next two weeks. Or do other things, depending on if they were able to keep in contact with Hux. 

Now, though, Techie wished they had some leisure time so they could peruse the sites of Cloud City when it wasn’t so crowded. Mission aside, Techie hadn’t ever been to any other planet besides his own home world Earth. Yes, he’d been on the Finalizer for the past six months, but he’d never made enough personal time off in order to have a day down on the surface of a rec leave planet. Techie let Kylo tug him everywhere, knowing that his Master knew where he was going. Soon they ran into a busy hallway packed to the rim with noisy, bustling tourists and workers. Techie stuck as close as he could to Kylo, but even so, Techie started getting shoved and pushed around by the crowds. Kylo might be intimidating – even in his technician uniform and utility harness, but he also had trouble walking through the hordes of people.

Practically shaking with pain and panic by the time they got into an elevator to get down to their floor, Techie nearly dropped onto his knees, his stomach about ready to hurl up his lunch. Thankfully they were alone in the lift, so Kylo gently pulled the anxiety driven male into his arms and rubbed his back soothingly. “It’s ok, Techie. Just take in some deep breaths. No one’s going to hurt you here. I forbid it.” Kylo kissed the small spot right where Techie’s former ‘Male’ brand used to be. It had faded almost entirely. With another day or so the brand would be completely gone.

Techie burrowed his face into Kylo’s chest above the bright orange harness and breathed in his Master’s scent. The ginger clutched at the harness and admitted with a shaky whisper, “I know, Kylo. I just… I just wish Hux was here, too. I miss him. And… and… I don’t want him to get hurt, or you, or me. I also just want the noise to _stop_.”

“Shhhh,” Kylo murmured gently, leaning in to kiss the top of Techie’s head. “You can still feel the bond, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then focus on that. He’s right there. You can touch him and even talk to him if he’s not busy. I doubt he’ll mind.”

“I don’t want to bug him though.” Techie whined, feeling a bit stupid as his insecurities started running through him, making his stomach clench more.

Kylo sighed deeply and vied for patience. It wasn’t Techie’s fault he’d been forced to come on this mission. Nor was it his fault that he had very real fears and anxiety. Kylo rubbed his first Apprentice’s back soothingly and murmured, “You won’t.”

The lift stopped to let on a few people, and Kylo was about ready to tell them the elevator was closed. But, then he spotted FN-2187 and the scavenger girl. Biting his lip hard to keep from immediately strangling the traitor, who caught his eye and raised a brow at the mood, Kylo continued to soothe Techie. The Apprentice stiffened a bit, noting they both weren’t alone anymore and peeked over Kylo’s arm to look at the newcomers. 

The scavenger girl looked at Techie and arched a brow, but otherwise minded her own business.

“It’s ok Ma-Matt. I’m ok now,” Techie trembled, forcing himself to release his durasteel grip on Kylo’s harness.

Kylo’s attention briefly went back to Techie and his eyes softened. Techie was being so brave. He leaned in and pecked the ginger on the lips, murmuring softly, “You sure my love?”

Techie could so get used to that honorific, even though he knew Kylo was just being a bit possessive and protective over him. Techie nodded with a small shaky smile. “Yes, Matty. I’m ok. Just not used to so many people. Makes me feel nauseous and gives me a bit of a headache.”

“Ok. But, if you still feel like shit when we get home, I want you to lie down, ok?” Kylo said, fully meaning it, too.

Techie wrinkled up his nose comically and whined, “But I want to watch a holovid.”

“We can still watch one while you are resting, Techie,” Kylo compromised, reaching up to push some hair away from his Apprentice’s face.

“Sorry to break in, but, I couldn’t help over hearing. If you are still feeling nauseated, you might like to try Behot tea. I have some with me,” The scavenger girl said, reaching into her shoulder bag to pull a few small tea bags. “Just recently got them at one of the nutrition stores, so they are fresh.”

“Oh, how much would you want for them?” Techie asked, bionic eyes wide in shock as he looked at the girl. 

Kylo narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of something partially hidden in the girl’s bag. Blinking away, he tried to reach out with the Force. When he hit both FN-2187’s and the girl’s minds, he felt stunned. Pulling his thoughts away to prevent detection, Kylo turned his eyes back to his Apprentice, trying hard not to let his newfound rage and shock control him. 

“Oh no, you don’t have to pay me. Just take some. I know it’s strange getting things from strangers, but it really does help me a whole lot when I get too many stomach cramps,” The girl flashed Techie a wide grin, holding out the tea bags.

The girl really was pretty, though Techie wasn’t attracted to her. She was so incredibly thin, but there was a fierceness about her that made the ginger somehow know that she’d been through a lot and had survived. He could tell she was telling the truth. There was no lie in her voice. Techie reached out and took the pouches, smiling wide, “Thank you. I’m Techie and this is Matt, my husband.”

Techie flushed slightly. Oops, that was not what he’d meant to say, but noting that Kylo didn’t seem to mind, he let it go. Kylo was paying more attention to Techie’s beaming smile than anything else. His first Apprentice looked so adorable when he smiled like that. His rage was put on a full stop by that alone.

The girl’s smile widened. She said brightly, “My name’s Rey, and this is my friend Finn. Pleased to meet you.”

FN-2187 narrowed his eyes at Rey and whispered, “Rey, enough.” Then he looked at Techie and Kylo, nodding stiffly, “Nice to meet you. Just, we are in a bit of a hurry.”

“No, it’s fine. We are, too,” Kylo gritted out, his foul mood coming back. He clenched his fists at his sides and tried hard not to just end up grabbing his lightsaber and ending the traitor’s life right then and there. 

Rey scowled at Finn as he grabbed her hand and started tugging her once the door opened again. As they were leaving, the girl growled, “Let GO of my HAND! And what is up with you? I was just being nice!”

“Being nice is going to get yourself killed, Rey. Remember what Han said – we need to keep a low profile until Lando gets here,” Finn hissed.

Too bad for Rey and Finn, both Techie and Kylo heard the exchange quite well before the door slid back shut, leaving the two of them alone again. Still, Techie hugged Kylo saying excitedly, “Master, the traitor didn’t recognize me!”

Kylo looked over at Techie and read what the man was trying to say, “Was there any doubt whatsoever that he would have, Techie?”

“Look, I know I’ve never met him before, but lots of Stormtroopers pass the techs on the Finalizer all the time. He could have been one that passed me by. He was more concerned with you looking so standoffish though, so he didn’t look at me much.” The possibility of being recognized had been slim at most – so Techie hadn’t needed much of a disguise besides his old clothing. But he’d still thought about it in the back part of his mind.

“That’s good, Techie,” Kylo allowed, forcing himself to calm down more. Regardless of his efforts, he still felt on edge as they left the lift.

“What’s wrong, Master?” Techie asked once they got to their room. The ginger flopped onto one of the twin beds, feeling pooped. He raised the tea bags to look them over curiously.

Despite the girl being one of the fugitives they were looking for, Techie hadn’t sensed that she’d meant them any harm. Quite the opposite. However, the two were the only links to the droid Kylo and Hux were after, so despite the kindness Rey had shown towards them both, it would be best to consider her an enemy. 

Kylo took off his orange utility harness and half hazardly tossed it down near the door, hearing it clunk. The Force sensitive sighed deeply and Techie turned his attention back to the knight, arching a brow. Kylo’s thoughts were a bit chaotic, so Techie allowed the man to speak his mind rather than trying to read it. He met Kylo’s gaze, and suddenly his Master started projecting the information into his mind instead. Sometimes it was easier for Kylo to project than to talk about his feelings.

“They are the Force sensitives we felt earlier, aren’t they?” Techie asked, though he knew the answer.

“Yes,” Kylo said, clenching his fists in an extreme effort not to lash out at anything in the near vicinity. 

Unfortunately, they needed to keep a low profile, otherwise the room would have been ransacked completely. This was a complication unforeseen by himself and everyone else, including Leader Snoke. “But, they didn’t sense us, right? They are untrained….They couldn’t know about us…..” Techie mused, feeling the nauseating fear and anxiety start to return in waves.

“No. They knew I was intense, but otherwise they didn’t detect us. Their minds weren’t tested yet,” Kylo admitted, chewing on a lower lip as he fought for control.

“You touched their minds?” Techie slowly sat up, rubbing his tummy nervously.

“Slightly. Just enough to see what they were thinking about at the surface of their minds. What they were feeling….” Kylo explained.

“At least they didn’t feel you.”

“No they didn’t feel me.”

Techie breathed out a sigh of relief. “That’s good, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but it still poses as a potential problem. The scavenger….she was wearing,” Kylo grit his teeth as another wave of rage went through him. Licking his lips, Kylo tried again, “She had in her bag something that belongs to me. I don’t know where she got it. I thought it had been lost in the rubble of Luke Skywalker’s temple.”

This time, he couldn’t keep from lashing out. Kylo slammed his fist into the bulk head near the door, splitting the skin over his knuckles in his rage. Techie flinched, but didn’t comment, knowing from his Master’s thoughts and feelings that he was really and truly tormented. And for good reason. Seeing a total stranger – an enemy – wearing the knight’s grandfather’s old lightsaber must have opened up wounds that never had fully healed.

Once he saw Kylo smash his fist into the bulkhead a few more times, causing his knuckles to turn crimson with blood, Techie let out a small sound of distress. Abusing himself wasn’t going to help them solve this new dilemma. Techie moved by pure instinct, not truly thinking about it. He got up and walked over to his Master, enveloping the tormented male into his arms from behind him. Techie burrowed his face into Kylo’s shoulder, offering what comfort he could.

Kylo flinched slightly and let out an anguished noise, almost like a pained or wounded animal as he again slammed his fist into the now very dented and blood speckled bulkhead.

 _Pfassk, Techie, what is going on? Kylo’s emotions are totally kriffing my brain – everything is too chaotic to process!_ Hux’s exasperated and worried voice filtered into Techie’s head. The man sounded tired, irritated, but also concerned.

 _It’s a long story. But, I think it’d be better if maybe we talked using a holo call? Do you have time to do one? I know that we can patch you through with the coms but it might be better if Kylo sees you. I’ll try to calm him down._ Techie sighed softly and continued to hold Kylo, absently running his hands over his Master’s chest and stomach. 

_Kriff, it’s that bad?_

_Not really – nothing really to worry too much about. Honest! But, it wasn’t something we expected. You can even look into my thoughts if you want and see my memories of everything if you are too busy._

There was a long moment before the General replied, _If you think it’ll help with Ren’s situation then I’ll do a holo call. Give me a few minutes to get back to my quarters. And tell that blasted beautiful ingrate of ours to stop hitting whatever it is he’s abusing – even my knuckles are starting to hurt!_

Techie was starting to feel the ache in his own hands, though it was more residual than anything else reflecting through their bond. The ginger tugged on Kylo’s shoulders, whispering, “Master?”

Kylo shivered as darkness enveloped him like a comforting blanket of fire and rage. Not being able to stop the torrent of emotions going through him, Kylo turned in Techie’s arms and kissed his Apprentice hard. The tempest within him continued to swirl dangerously, threatening to consume him and his lovers by extension. Techie let out a surprised mewl and instantly melted under Kylo’s lips and tongue. Submitting under his Master’s attentions, Techie didn’t think he’d ever get enough of the knight’s kisses. Electricity ran through his veins and prickled his skin as Kylo dominated him completely with his mouth. 

Kylo turned them both around and shoved Techie up against the damaged bulkhead. The ginger let out a gasping moan, feeling hyper sensitive to his Master’s almost bruising touch. Kylo slotted them both together, his hands finding and tugging Techie’s hips against his own. He trembled as Techie reached up and took off the knight’s wig and glasses. Tossing them onto his bed, Techie let out a slow breathy moan when Kylo started nuzzling his cheek and neck. 

Kylo breathed in Techie’s comforting scent, murmuring shakily, “Techie….”

“Ngh, Kylo….” Techie hissed, feeling the intense emotions swirling through them both like electric currents.

Running his fingers through Kylo’s hair, he almost laughed when Hux stated very dryly in both of their minds, _When you said you’d calm him down, I didn’t think it would be by letting him dominate you for a while, Techie. Makes me kriffing frustrated I can’t be there in person._

Kylo shook under Techie’s hands, hearing Hux’s voice filter through some of the raging storm. Kylo gasped out, “Hux….”

 _Well, hello to you, too. There you are. I was beginning to wonder if you’d finally snapped and were forever unreachable. Techie, do us all a favor and put the poor man out of his misery so he can finally relax._ Hux’s voice was a bit snippy, but that was because he was hastily getting into his quarters, trying to ignore the fact that his cock was tenting his pants alarmingly and that he’d forgone wearing his General’s overcoat.

_But, you just said…._

_Yes, but I didn’t say I wasn’t enjoying this as well._

Catching an image in Hux’s mind, both Techie and Kylo groaned in arousal. The General was finally in his quarters, and was now rubbing himself through his pants. Bracing one hand up against his long couch, Hux let out a few curses as he felt their pleasure through the bond. Techie licked his lips and got an intense, thoughtful look on his face. Kylo spotted the look and shivered under that bionic determined gaze.

“Techie….” He breathed, feeling the storm rise up again within him, but this time for a totally different reason.

Tackling Kylo strategically, Techie unbalanced the knight into falling back onto one of their beds in the process – helpfully the one not currently covered with his Master’s glasses and wig. Techie leaned down, trembling slightly as he straddled the knight’s hips with a heated sigh. His Master met his lips in fiery electric passion, moaning out his pleasure as Techie settled completely on top of him. Techie pulled away a bit so he could litter the knight’s face with kisses, and Kylo hoarsely grunted at the feel of his Apprentice’s lithe thighs and hips laying so close to his hardening groin. Heat and electricity pooled into his cock and balls, making them ache and tingle.

It felt so good, though their technician uniforms were definitely something to be desired when it came to something like this.

Techie slowly rocked his hips and snickered when Hux murmured softly, _I like your idea, Techie. Kriff, click on the link on the holo panel so I can – I can watch._

Techie reached up and slapped a hand distractedly on the holo caller pad. A small Hux popped up and both Techie and Kylo gasped in arousal at the sight of the General now on his couch, jacking himself off slowly. He was fully clothed, and his pants were undone, one black gloved hand gliding over his flushed cock.

“What a divine picture the two of you make. Please continue,” Hux’s voice sounded aloud, making Techie breathe out a sigh in relief at hearing his smooth tones.

 _Kriff, Hux…._ Techie whispered through their bond. Hux was just as divine in his point of view. And from the feel of things, Kylo felt the same way.

Kylo also relaxed visibly, though his hands reached up to grip at Techie’s hips. Techie rolled his hips again, causing both to moan softly. Eventually, that wasn’t enough. Kylo reached further up to card his fingers through Techie’s hair, letting out a gasp when his first Apprentice maneuvered himself to settle more firmly against the knight’s groin area. Feeling Kylo’s clothed cock bulge up underneath his balls, Techie hissed and started rocking again. Kylo again settled his hands around Techie’s hips to help balance the ginger, but otherwise he let the other male take control for once.

Techie let out some gasps before he whimpered, saying with a hitched breath, “This…this will chafe soon if we don’t do something.”

“Blanket? Or blindfolds?” Kylo asked, shuddering at some of the dirty thoughts running through his mind.

Hux let out a moan at some of the thoughts, which spurned on more erotic ideas. “Kriff, Kylo, you are going to make me come way too soon if you keep this up.”

“You try having Techie sit his **balls** on your _dick_ like he’s doing to me and see if you have any cleaner thoughts,” Kylo replied with a shiver, reflexively arching up his hips for friction.

“That would be advantageous, Ren,” Hux rasped, arching his hips to meet his hand’s rhythmic pumping. He wasn’t going to last long at this rate.

“Um, fuck… um….” Techie rolled his hips and let out a gasp as his cock twitched hard and his balls tingled. “Blanket would be ok, if you’ll both close your… kriff… promise to close your eyes while I get us both undressed. And I want you naked too, Hux.”

“Of course, your majesty,” Hux allowed with a smirk. The _dhampyre_ closed his eyes as commanded - though he really, really wanted to peek.

Kylo closed his, and he let out a soft huff in amusement – his former rage and anguish momentarily forgotten. Techie shivered slightly and started undressing Kylo. He normally wouldn’t have been prepared to do something like this – feeling way too uneasy, but he really wanted to do this. He wanted to feel safe and warm in Kylo’s embrace. If Hux was here he’d want to do the same thing with the General. What would it feel like, finally having his skin being touched and embraced by people he trusted?

Once Kylo was fully unclothed, his work uniform and briefs thrown in the direction of his utility harness, Techie took a long moment to look him over, knowing that his Master wouldn’t mind. He’d seen his Master naked already, and he’d seen Hux naked too, so it wasn’t that big of a deal. He still drank in the sight before he got the courage to start peeling off his own clothes. Both Kylo and Hux patiently waited for the signal from Techie that he was ready for them to look again

Techie settled shyly on top of Kylo, feeling almost like he might come from the feel of softness of his Master’s skin, hardness of the other male’s muscles, and intense heat permeating from the knight’s body. Once he pulled two blankets over them both, Techie felt warm and safe, and understandably horny as all get out. It felt good, and he finally whispered, “Ok. You can look now.”

Kylo opened his eyes and his brain nearly short circuited at the sight and feel of a very naked Techie on top of his body. Techie was showing a bit more skin than usual, which meant that he was slowly getting more comfortable in his own skin and trusting them more. Kylo took up the sight greedily, noting that Techie’s shoulders were bared for his and Hux’s viewing pleasure, and his whole arms were. Scars littered over portions of his skin, but otherwise his skin was largely untouched and pale.

Techie flushed a bit under their gazes, feeling a bit nervous at the attention, but then Kylo found his lips with a gentle, reassuring kiss. “Thank you Techie.”

“You look and feel ravishing, Techie,” Hux supplied, shivering as he openly ogled the bared skin, feeling the residual thoughts and emotions filtering through their bonds as well. And though those blankets didn’t leave much hidden for they were so threadbare, Hux still concentrated on what was bared rather than what Techie probably didn’t want him to view just yet.

He was enjoying every layer of defense being shed for his and Kylo’s viewing. 

It was almost like Techie was unwrapping a new gift for them every time he revealed another part of his anatomy. From the emotions and thoughts coming through the bond from Kylo, Hux could tell the Force sensitive was feeling the same way. “Can I touch you?” Kylo asked Techie, reaching up to cup the ginger’s face tenderly. 

“You are touching me,” Techie smiled shyly, and then added, “At least a full frontal anyways.”

Kylo narrowed his eyes and Hux whispered, “Semantics.”

“Yes, you can touch me, just… just slowly, ok?” Techie bit his lower lip shakily.

“Tell me to stop, and I will,” Kylo murmured against Techie’s lips before he enveloped the other man into his embrace.

The feel of Techie on top of him felt good, almost electric like his kisses. Kylo was beginning to realize that the prickling sensation that practically hummed over Techie’s sensitive skin was his own connection to the Force. It wouldn’t surprise the knight if one day Techie would be able to use Force lightning or electricity as a source of power. The thought was heady and Kylo moaned when Techie started running his hands over the knight’s chest and shoulders. Not being able to keep his hands from wondering over his Apprentice’s skin, Kylo traced his fingers over the ginger’s shoulders and back. Techie pulled away from Kylo’s lips and gasped, the feel of the knight’s light attentions was so incredibly good it made him ache.

His skin was so sensitive, but he never once told his Master to stop. The only time Kylo’s fingers paused in his touches was when he would find a ragged poorly healed scar. Techie’s back was littered with thick, ropelike scars – too thick to be from normal whips. Filing those thoughts of resurging rage in his Apprentice’s behalf, Kylo forced his fingers to continue reverently. Techie was doing this not to gain his sympathy or his protective ire. He was doing this because he trusted Kylo and by mental extension, Hux.

Hux hissed slowly in understanding, noting what Kylo was encountering. It made his cock wilt slightly but only enough to take him away from the edge. Perhaps that was a good thing – regardless of the dismal fact that poor Techie had been beaten within every inch of his life. Viewing memories and feelings were one thing, feeling the after effects on a survivor’s skin was another.

“Techie, you are so brave to do this…. To trust us like this.” Hux said, starting his slow pumps on his cock up again, glad that his lust was back down to a manageable level.

Techie breathed out a low shuddering keen when Kylo’s hips started arching slowly against his. Looking down at his Master, catching vulnerable, but determined and knowing dark eyes, Techie leaned down to capture the knight’s lips in a passionate kiss. Techie breathed against Kylo’s lips as he slowly pulled away, “Can you…. can you dominate me like… like you did Hux the other day? Just without the biting?”

Kylo let out a ragged moan, throwing his head back against the standard issued pillow on the bed. “Fucking hell, Techie!” He gasped out in exasperation, his hands coming to rest on the other man’s hips.

“What? Is – would it be too much?” Techie asked, suddenly a bit shy and worried. He knew from his Master’s thoughts that the idea of dominating his Apprentice caused a spike in his arousal. So why was he protesting? Or was he protesting?

“I believe what Kylo is trying to convey is not a rejection, Techie. Merely he feels like he won’t be able to control himself with you pliant and underneath him. Kylo is a very dominate male and therefore, any remote inclination that you or I want to submit to his attentions practically sets him off into the deep end of the gutter pool. Give him a moment to calm down a bit. I think you might have broken his brain,” Hux huffed out in amusement, slowing his speed on his cock a bit more so he could calm his own libido down a bit.

Techie blushed and gave the knight a bit of a smile before he craned his head over to look at the holo of Hux. He let out a soft gasp at the sight of one very naked Hux sprawled out on his couch, leisurely playing with his hardened cock. Kylo licked his lips and opened his eyes once he calmed down a bit. Techie was still watching Hux with rapt attention, which gave him plenty of distraction to flip the long haired ginger underneath him. It was a bit awkward and had Techie squealing a bit at the quick motion, but the payoff was well worth the effort as Kylo settled down in between his lover’s legs, blanketing him securely.

Once he caught Techie’s attention again, Kylo slowly reached down and hiked up the ginger’s legs, one before the other, to settle around his hips. Keeping Techie’s bionic gaze with his own darkened half hooded intense stare, Kylo slowly settled on top of the other male, letting out a soft sigh as their skin touched completely from chest all the way down. Reaching up to brace himself with one arm pressed up against the edge of the bed above Techie’s shoulder, Kylo forced himself to slow down and let the other man adjust to this new position.

Techie shivered, reaching up to run his fingers through Kylo’s hair, swallowing nervously. Kylo was keeping one hand on Techie’s left thigh, gingerly running his fingers over the skin soothingly. The blankets had fallen back to rest over the mid part of Kylo’s back and sides, but the other man was more muscle toned than he, so Techie felt like he was safe and protected. Hux could view a bit of his side, which was more than Techie had wanted to reveal tonight, but he slowly relaxed. 

Plus, it had been his idea for wanting Kylo to be in this position. Kylo sensed his mood and reached up with his left hand to tug up the blanket a bit more. Techie stopped his hand shyly and licked his lips, bionic eyes whirring as he regarded his Master’s reaction. Kylo’s emotions were still spinning all over the place, but he was still keeping in control just enough to let Techie guide him. 

“It’s ok,” Techie said finally. He reached up and tugged the other Force sensitive down so he could kiss him. Against his lips, Techie whispered, “Please touch me. Move….anything. Just do something.”

Kylo snorted and mused against Techie’s lips, “I thought you wanted me to go slow.”

“I did, but that was then, and this is now. So, please, move, it’s starting to ache,” Techie blurted out with a shaky breath, arching his hips to prove a point.

The act rubbed his cock and Kylo’s up against each other’s and both moaned at the feel. Hux watched with half hooded eyes as the two started back up their ministrations again. Speeding up on his cock, he bit his lower lip and shuddered, feeling the residual swarm of desire and pleasure going through their Force bonds with each arch or rock of the hips, each kiss, and each touch. Though it was maddening that he wasn’t physically present with them, at least he could feel it as if he were right there beside them, and could watch as well. 

Kylo kissed Techie passionately, trembling as he reached up to fully cage the man beneath him so he could concentrate on his primal needs and that of Techie’s. The ginger didn’t seem to mind, though once in a while he would reach up and rake his blunt fingernails down Kylo’s back to settle on his ass to press him closer as they rutted. Though they could have used lube, Kylo could sense that Techie wanted it rough this time, needed to feel it more. He wanted to feel a bit of chafing tomorrow to remind him of what they had done and were doing. In a way, he wanted to be marked without being bit. 

So Kylo was quick to oblige his Apprentice, arching and rocking his hips faster and sharper, reveling in the feel of Techie’s skin sliding against his deliciously. Techie’s cock was beginning to spill precome and Kylo could smell it as he nuzzled the ginger’s neck. Littering kisses across the expanse, Kylo let out a bit out moan when Techie arched up so hard it lifted them both almost up off of the bed. The ginger apparently could be fierce when he wanted to be.

It gave all sorts of kinky ideas to both Hux and Kylo, and Techie whimpered at the combined thoughts, nearly coming hard at the images. As more images came, so did his own ideas, of which shot back in one delicious chaotic message to both his lovers. Kylo groaned, nearly coming undone at that. Plus, he could sense Hux was close to the edge now, and not being able to nor wanting to stop the coming tide. 

“Master, make me come,” Techie whimpered against Kylo’s lips, snapping whatever control the knight had left.

Kylo let out a ragged growl and collapsed completely on Techie, kissing him hard as his hips and cock took over for his short circuited brain. His balls rubbed against Techie’s in the mad, hurried thrusts, causing Techie to arch up frantically before he submitted completely underneath his Master’s attentions, going completely limp. Pleasure washed over him as Kylo’s mind connected fully with his, and they both reflexively drew Hux in so that they all could come at the same time or soon after one started. Techie let out a broken keen as his balls drew up. 

Hux bit down on his free wrist to keep from shouting as he started coming, finding exquisite bliss at his apex almost to the point of pain. He arched up into his tightened fist with quick jerks before his orgasm took over him, pulling the others down over the crest with him.

Techie let out a sobbing cry as he came with a few primal arches, his cock spilling all over his and Kylo’s bellies. Kylo was the last to fall over the edge, but he by far had the most explosive orgasm. He threw back his head and let out a fucking roar as he came, his eyes swirling with gold as his body gave in to his needs and desires. All the tension, anger, anguish, and unresolved emotion left him with a loud starburst of pleasure mixed with pain. 

As a result, the whole room shook at the blast of release. Kylo let out a series of gasps and sobs as he collapsed fully onto Techie again, burying his face into his soft skin and musky electrical scent. For long moments all three breathed rasps of air, enjoying their post coital bliss. Kylo kept his face buried in Techie’s neck for a long while, his shoulders trembling as he let out soft sobs. Techie held him while the knight calmed, doing nothing more than running his fingers through the man’s dampened ebony locks and sweat shined back. 

Hux sighed deeply, noting the raw, untamed emotional release Kylo was feeling right now. 

A week ago, he wouldn’t have cared what the other man felt, or why he did, if not for a passing curiosity. Now, however, he knew it all. He had always known that Kylo was a man who gave in to his emotions – letting them drive him, but now the _dhampyre_ knew why. Hux knew how Kylo felt as well.

The man was tormented; some of it was not due to the knight’s choice, but the most of it was by the need to survive.

Kylo had come to Snoke, not just because of wanting to know more about his grandfather, or that he wanted to finish what Darth Vader started. He had come to the Supreme Leader because he’d been lied to, he’d been cheated, and he’d been cast aside like garbage. As his powers had grown, his former Master had sensed it and had feared it. And then, Kylo had been betrayed by the very man who had been an idol of his, had been someone he’d looked up to growing up. A man who had sworn to protect him and help him master the storm deep inside of him.

Luke Skywalker would pay.

Though the Supreme Leader had manipulated Kylo, as the dark specter always did to gain power over his numerous subjects, he had given his new Apprentice a chance to prove himself and to find his way through the Dark Side of the Force. There was an unbalance there that Kylo was dealing with every second of his life. The light and the dark were still deeply ingrained into his soul and the fierce struggle for dominance warred within him harsher than any normal human being could ever comprehend or understand. 

Within that struggle was the desperate need to survive and to feel accepted for what he was, not just of what he might become. 

_We accept you, Ren,_ Hux whispered softly into the Force user’s anguished mind. _If I had known all of this before our bond, I might have treated you differently. Instead of apologizing for past bygones, I will say that going forward I will do my best to support you, unless you start acting like a nerfheaded idiot. Then I might have to throttle you to knock some sense into that thick but nicely proportioned skull of yours._

Kylo let out a soft snort at Hux’s humor, knowing that was about as good as the General was going to allow when it came to being sappy with him. Feeling still a bit vulnerable and shaky, Kylo turned his face away from Techie’s shoulder and pecked the ginger on the cheek in thanks. Techie reached up and pushed his ebony locks away from his face, seeing his Master’s emotionally naked face. Leaning up to kiss him reassuringly, Techie whispered, “Same.”

“Thank you,” Kylo said before he kissed the ginger on the nose, making Techie wrinkle it in response. “Are you ok? I wasn’t too rough, was I?”

“No. Though I might be sore in the morning, I wanted you to be rough. It felt good. Are you ok?” Techie asked, running fingers lightly over Kylo’s cheek.

“Yes,” Kylo huffed out softly, turning his head to look in the direction of Hux, who was calmly cleaning himself off with a towel. “You?”

Hux arched a brow, but relented, knowing exactly why Kylo was asking. Kylo hadn’t been exactly gentle when practically mentally exploding, not that Hux blamed him one bit for that. If anyone had needed a blissful outlet tonight, it had been Kylo. “Yes, perfectly fine. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.”

“Good.” Kylo whispered, slowly rocking his hips a bit languidly. Techie, too blissed out to care, let out a soft mewl as he answered his Master’s light reflex with one of his own. Feeling his cock twitch a bit but not much else, Kylo eased himself off of Techie, careful to avert his eyes while the ginger reached for some tissues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @jeusus made this wonderful art piece that definitely fits the last scene. Here it is: 
> 
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> [Kylo / Techie ](https://78.media.tumblr.com/d9fb94a5970d51bcb77b9f1e6cf929d7/tumblr_otny0oJ1hJ1qdu1txo10_1280.jpg)
> 
>  
> 
> Triggers:
> 
> *Light Force choking in this one - though it's not really a punishment, it's more along the lines of telling Hux to shut up or stop laughing.  
> *Of course Techie's past experience with the whole 'knife scene' with Ma-Ma in Dredd is referenced but very, very lightly - also brief mentions of him being previously whipped comes up.  
> *Techie has a few anxiety attack near misses but Kylo is there to help him calm down.  
> *Kylo gets pretty mad and injures his knuckles by having a one on one session with a bulkhead.


	11. Developments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is another chapter for you :) Hope you enjoy. No triggers that I can see are in this chapter.

### Chapter 11: Developments

“So, let me get this straight,” Hux said once they all cleaned up, dressed for bed, and the two men had relayed all the information they had gathered that day, “the two fugitives are now waiting to meet with Calrissian, and are also Force sensitives – but _untested_.”

“Yes,” Kylo affirmed, rubbing his face tiredly, looking up as Techie came over to sit back down on the couch with him, mug of tea in hand. Though their modest quarters didn’t have a caf maker or even a steamer, the refresher’s piping hot water was more than enough to soak one of the tea bags the scavenger had given him.

“Are you sure you should trust that, Techie?” Hux asked, trying to be sensible. 

Yes, the scavenger had seemed totally harmless at the time, handing over tea bags – but Hux had to pause at that. If what he’d seen in Kylo and Techie’s minds were true, then it really did seem odd that the half-starved girl had let him have some of her recently purchased (or pilfered) items. Scavengers didn’t just willingly give out gifts to random people. Especially if they had lived harsh lives and had to scrimp and pilfer anything just to get by and exist if not live – it just didn’t make _sense_.

Maybe the girl was ignorant? Hux doubted it considering he knew that type of flying took skill. FN-2187 never had flown anything in his life, much less a big hulking piece of garbage like the Millennium Falcon. He had been a Stormtrooper with the skillset to carry out orders like any other subordinate, and he had done flight simulations. But, the man had failed at nearly every test when it came to piloting an aircraft. The man had adequate qualities with fighting and survival instincts and had a pretty good intellect in the Stormtrooper program to make up for his abominable flying talents. 

That was one of the reasons why he had been promoted from being the janitor on Starkiller base to become a full-fledged active Stormtrooper soldier a few months back. Techie nodded, “She wasn’t lying. I don’t know why I could tell, but I knew she was telling the truth.”

“True, but why would she do such an act of kindness to a stranger?” Hux mused, uneasily watching Techie letting the tea steep for a bit longer.

“The Force was allowing you to sense her intentions as a protective measure. Once in a while it does that at random,” Kylo told Techie, though he too was trying to figure the scavenger out. “As for why she did it, I am not sure. Perhaps she saw Techie and genuinely felt bad for him?”

“Well I was feeling really bad in the elevator. Maybe she sensed it and felt compelled to be well…nice?” Techie presumed, giving the tea a curious sniff.

“And you saw her surface thoughts, and they were genuine?” Hux pressed Kylo, warring with himself on giving in to just telling Techie to throw the tea out, or letting the man drink the concoction to help his stomach settle.

“Yes, very,” Kylo admitted. “About the only thing she felt when she looked at Techie was the fact that she felt compassion and even a bit of residual nausea permeating from him. Although Techie is a total stranger to her, he does project his emotions quite vividly when he’s distressed.”

“MMmmm, I wonder who he takes that after?” Hux teased slightly, though he knew very well that Techie didn’t project nearly as much as Kylo did whenever the knight was having emotional issues.

“Well, if you really don’t think I should drink it, then do you want me to throw the tea bags out?” Techie cringed at the thought of wasting possibly very good tea. Then again, he could always buy some the next morning before he started his shift on level 255. He wasn’t quite sure where to find the tea, but he could always hack into the mainframe computer database again to get a list of items that each nearby store carried. 

“No, it’s not like she intended to poison you,” Hux sighed deeply, coming to an internal decision to just let the matter go. “And Behot tea does really help the stomach and nerves. It’ll help you sleep tonight as well.”

Reaching out to hover his hand over Techie’s mug, Kylo thought for a long moment, searching with the Force. All things held the Force, and that included edible items. “I don’t detect any poison in it. Just feels like tea, no other chemicals are in it,” Kylo murmured, settling the debate.

“Well then, drink up, Techie,” Hux sighed, feeling a bit better.

Techie nodded and tugged the tea bag out of his mug and put it in a small washcloth to save for later. It wouldn’t be as potent the second time around, but that was ok. Raising the mug to his lips, Techie breathed in the light aroma of his drink before he took a slow sip of the steaming liquid. It didn’t taste bad, nor did it taste good. It had a lightly bitter flavor, but otherwise didn’t have any remarkable sensations on his taste buds. 

It did soothe his throat as it went down and after a few more sips, he found that the small knots in his stomach were starting to unclench, making him sigh in relief. “Damn, I am going to have to buy a bunch of this if we have time, Master.”

Kylo snorted and shared an amused look with Hux. Now that the tea debacle had been settled, they went back to discussing the new developments that day. Hux also gave them a run down on his arrival at Starkiller base, and that woefully people were behind schedule rather than ahead as he’d hoped. However, Hux was resilient and would bring the various subordinates and staff up to speed. 

“There apparently was an outbreak of the common space flu that took hold of thousands before it was curtailed. Set us back almost another month, but I am sure now that everyone has recovered and have rested, they will work ever harder to get back on schedule if not ahead. I have the next two weeks cut out for me,” Hux admitted, sighing softly as he sipped some heated up blood that he had snatched up from one of the various med bays on the vast base. 

“That sucks,” Techie murmured, because obviously it did.

“Earthlings are so imaginative in their expletives,” Hux teased, then he shrugged, “but, yes, it does.”

“Don’t get me started on some of your Arkanisian insults,” Kylo said with a small smile. With perfect Arkanisian slang, Kylo stated dryly, “Ye must be a toad maggot eejit, acting like that.”

Hux rolled his eyes and muttered, “Or yours from Alderaan or Corellia.” He added with a smirk, “What the varp? And you varping son of a blasted nerf laser brain?”

“Kriff, I haven’t used ‘varp’ in years,” Kylo snorted, not offended in the least. 

Techie rolled his eyes at his lovers’ antics, and slowly sipped his tea, feeling calmer now. The tea also helped with his headache, so that was a good thing. Changing the subject, Kylo started talking about plans of actions, and ideas on how to either get the two Force sensitives – or at least Rey for FN-2187 was still considered a traitor, to either give up BB-8’s hiding place or to join them. It was two very dismal scenarios and all three knew that they didn’t like the odds on the outcomes. However, it was better to discuss the potential, even if it did seem slim at best. 

Their discussion soon turned to the more likely of scenarios: Either capturing both FN-2187 and Rey or capturing at least one. “Keeping a low profile sucks,” Kylo said after they ended their holo call with Hux about a half hour later.

Techie snorted a bit, finding the expletive being used a bit odd with Kylo’s voice, but it was warranted. “Yes, it does. But, you are doing really well.” Techie put his mug down and stretching out so he could dangle his feet off of the couch and rest his head in Kylo’s lap.

Kylo reached down and rubbed slightly at Techie’s temples, causing the ginger to sigh in bliss. The headache was now down to a dull throb, but his Master’s fingers felt nice prodding the aching areas. Resting his eyelids over his bionic eyes, Techie murmured, “Thank you, Master.”

“Husband,” Kylo corrected softly, slowly smiling when Techie’s eyelids shot open to look up at him in question.

“You called me your _husband_ in the elevator. Regardless if we meet the scavenger and traitor under stable conditions, it would be best if you kept up with it,” Kylo suggested.

Techie swallowed thickly and whispered, “Ok, if that’s what you want.”

“What do _you_ want?”

“I….”

“Yes?”

“I don’t really know. It just seemed right since we are in disguise…. And that way it’ll deter some people away from questioning why we are together almost all the time.”

“Correct.”

“What about Hux?”

 _I really couldn’t care less, Techie. Call him your phallic god of wonder for all I care_ , Hux commented dryly, not being able to resist breaking in.

Techie and Kylo laughed softly at that before the long haired ginger sighed deeply, “Ok.”

\----------------------------------------------------------------

The following day had Hux heading down to inspect the various fuel cells in the thermal oscillator, feeling a bit more rested than the morning prior. Looking up proudly at the intricate designs of durasteel, welded mesh and thriving kyber crystal enforced dark energy within, Hux mused that the weapon was a thing of beauty, even if it was to bring on nothing but terror. Hopefully, they would only have to use the weapon rarely, when it was necessary to bring order and peace to the galaxy. Their foes would not know what hit them, and if any remained after the destruction and chaos, they would cower in fear and think twice before striking back.

Making his way down the long thin strip of a bridge, not bothered by how far he was from the ground, Hux paused in his steps directly in the center of it. Taking a few moments to appreciate the sound of machinery and industry work being done nearby, Hux took it all in with a sense of pride and reverence. His greatcoat billowed slightly up against his legs as the mastermind behind the base surveyed all, imagining what it all would look like once finished. He now had less than two weeks to enforce a quicker and more effective strategy on getting the base ahead of schedule. Once it was fully operational, the First Order would be unstoppable.

Looking up at the unfinished ceiling high above him, Hux felt his resolve harden at the sight of the grey clouds blotting out the sun they were currently situated next to. His eyes still blinked sorely at the sight. _Dhampyre_ blood aside, Hux never liked sunlight. Yes, it provided warmth to his otherwise chilled skin, but it always had burned him, even during his years on his suppressant. His fair skin and the sun absolutely loathed eachother. 

Perhaps that was one of the reasons why the General had been almost ecstatic when the First Order had found the correct ice planet to make as their home base and immense destructive weapon. It was cold, and Hux always had to put on layers of clothing in order to keep warm, but at least he’d be protected from any sun’s harmful rays – regardless of which star the planet was moving close to. 

Narrowing his gaze at the darkening clouds, Hux pulled up the collar of his jacket, adjusted his cap and advanced to the other side of the oscillator room. His breath made quick puffs of visible steam as he continued to make his way outside to get onto a snow speeder. The storm was about to hit, and though Hux didn’t mind snow, he didn’t want his speeder to get iced over completely. He signaled to Phasma on his right while he thrummed up the engine. Phasma nodded at him, also on her own speeder, making it ready for their return trip. Hux took off, the captain following to the right side of him, hovering over the snow. 

Smiling slightly in true enjoyment, Hux bent over the front of the speeder just enough to not lose balance, and engaged a booster. Not one to be left behind in the snow, Phasma did the same, enjoying the small race towards the main control center. Wind whipped his face and clothing, but Hux’s hat stayed on his head despite the frosty blasts of air hitting him on all sides. By the time the duo got back to the control center, it was starting to snow. 

It always felt strange, being on a mobile planet that made its own weather regardless if there was a star or a moon in the vicinity. Dark Force energy aside, Hux was starting to understand why Kylo was so passionate in his beliefs about what untapped and untamed power lay within it. The General still believed that the religion spawned from the Jedi and the Sith was over the top and useless, but he was opening himself to the idea that there was darkness just as there was lightness. Each side held vast amounts of power. Each one could be used differently and efficiently. 

Being half of a dark creature himself, Hux was beginning to understand just how much he _loved_ the darkness.

The lightness was something he knew dwell within him somewhere deep in his blood, but the darkness was more useful and easier to access. He might not be Force sensitive in the normal way like Kylo and Techie were, but through them he could sense things more clearly now. He could even sense his own dark powers. Narrowing his eyes thoughtfully, Hux truly wondered what side of the Force Techie would choose. Or if he would have to choose at all.

Regardless of all that, Hux felt enlightened moreso now than he’d ever been in his life.

It was a heady and addictive feeling.

\---------------------------------------------------------

“Look, it’s easy, all you gotta do is rewire the calcinator,” The radar supervisor technician told Kylo, motioning for him to get moving.

“So, remove this?” Kylo asked, tugging out a wire.

“Does THAT look like the calcinator to you? What’s wrong with you?!” The supervisor asked, exasperated. “Why’s it so hard for you to understand?”

“I don’t know but could you please stop _yelling_ at me? You are starting to stress me _out_ ,” Kylo growled, starting to get very annoyed.

He was currently shadowing a radar supervisor named Leslie on level 252, who was a bit moody, especially when she hadn’t had her morning muffin yet. It had been five days since their mission had started and Kylo was almost at his wits end with this job.

 _Everything ok, Master?_ Techie asked, currently busy downloading some high tech software into one of the security computers on level 255. Chewing on a pen, Techie scrunched up his nose in concentration as he typed in a few more keys.

 _No, I have no idea what a calcinator is, nor do I kriffing care,_ Kylo rumbled back, continuing to scowl at Tara who was hovering over him, trying to show him what it was.

 _Oh, well that’s easy. It’s a green wire cuplink that has one red wire and one white wire hooked up to it. All you have to do is replace whichever wire looks damaged,_ Techie advised, taking a moment to project some images into Kylo’s head. _Just whatever you do, don’t replace the red one unless the power is off, otherwise you’ll get the shock of your life._

Regardless of the prior uneasiness in having his Apprentice come join him on this mission, Kylo definitely was beginning to feel like he’d have failed epically without the ginger’s help. Techie had managed to snab a data pad from his job so he could hack into the surveillance systems with ease on his first day, so they hadn’t had to go scouting for control panels or the like. The ginger had been able to keep track of FN-2187 the past five days almost nonstop, though he had to be careful not to get too distracted while at work. Kylo had been able to access Rey’s mind for the past few nights, but nothing about BB-8’s whereabouts were in the surface area of her thoughts. He’d go deeper if he knew he wouldn’t cause too much damage while the girl was asleep. FN-2187 was another issue. The man’s mental shields were up rigidly each time Kylo tried touching them. 

Either the man must have felt him earlier in the elevator five days beforehand, or he was just paranoid. Stormtroopers, once they got to a certain rank were trained in detecting and deflecting Force sensitives. Not very many lived to that point, and since the former Stormtrooper was nowhere near that rank when he’d defected, it made no sense whatsoever that he knew how to have such defenses. 

It was mind boggling for Kylo to be sure. He could tell that both Rey and Finn – as that was what he was calling himself now, hadn’t had any sort of training in the Force at all, mental or otherwise. The only other reason that Kylo could think of is that Finn was just naturally gifted in mental defenses. That might pose as quite the problem if and when they found the droid.

Lando was due any day now, and all that Kylo or Techie could sense when the ginger was practicing his mental exercises, was that Han Solo wasn’t there. Nor was the Millennium Falcon or Chewbacca. It didn’t really make much sense for Han Solo to leave the two in Cloud City with no backup. The two fugitives just did the touristy things and kept to themselves while they waited. They had no guards with them, no allies. 

It felt almost like a trap.

 _Thank you, Techie, that helps,_ Kylo said, reaching in to touch the calcinator.

Leslie sighed in relief, “Yea, see? That’s the calcinator. Which wire looks damaged?”

Kylo arched a brow and looked at the two wires carefully. “They both are shredded at the base.”

“Kriff, well, that’s just how our day is going, isn’t it? Guess we will just have to turn off the power – turn that knob to the right – your other right. Yea, that’s it. See, not so hard now, is it?” Leslie instructed, the small panel turning completely off. Kylo carefully clipped off the damaged areas, using Techie’s projected images in the process. “Yea, that’s it. You mind hurrying up a bit? So I can go have my muffin? I haven’t had my _muffin_ yet, **MATT** ,” Leslie griped, scowling at him irritably.

Kylo felt like smashing her face into the panel he was working on, but that would have been counterproductive.

 _Don’t get so testy, Kylo. She’s just doing her job,_ Hux’s voice filtered into his head.

Ever since Kylo had almost wrecked anything and everything in Techie and his quarters, Hux had taken it upon himself to pay more attention to them through their bond. Though he was incredibly busy every day, he still made time to put in a few comments here and there whenever Kylo or Techie seemed to be stressed about something. So far, his comments and reassuring presence in their minds had helped the two keep from karking up the mission due to ramped up emotions.

Kylo forced himself to relax and concentrate on the images Techie was sending him, managing to rewire the calcinator correctly. “That’s better. Go take a break, I’ll be back in a few,” Leslie said with a sigh as she straightened.

Kylo stood and stretched, bumping up his glasses on his nose so he could rub the bridge tiredly. This was truly testing his patience – what little of it he had left. 

_This is not as easy as I had first presumed_ , Kylo admitted to his lovers, reaching over to grab his thermos of cold water. 

_Happens to the best of us_ , Hux admitted.

 _Master, looks like FN-2187 is on the move with Rey and…. And also Calrissian and the **droid**! They are headed your way_ , Techie said excitedly, staring at his data pad.

Taking a long swig of water, the knight nearly missed the commotion down the hall. He put his thermos back in a pouch at his hip and turned to get out of the way of a speeding orange BB unit. Rey and Finn were hurrying after him, and at a slower gate was someone he’d never thought he’d see ever again.

Lando Calrissian.

Turning away before he could be noticed, Kylo shivered as rage filtered through his mind. It had been nearly fifteen years since he’d last seen the former Baron-Administrator. He’d been fifteen at the time, just tagging along with his father on a small smuggling run before he was shipped off by his mother to train with Luke. The darkness had been growing in him back then, too.

Pulling his mind away from that dark road, Kylo turned and spotted Finn looking at him strangely. “Is there something wrong?” Kylo gritted out, wondering why the man had stopped in the hallway.

Finn narrowed his eyes and said, “No. Not if you leave me and Rey alone.”

Kylo’s eyebrows shot up in shock and confusion. “What do you mean? I just work here. I haven’t seen or heard of you two since you helped Techie out. Which the tea helped his stomach tremendously. So, thank Rey for me, will you?”

“Look, I might not be the _brightest_ star in the galaxy, but I know First Order punks when I see them. I don’t care if you defected or not, whatever, just stay the hell away from us,” Finn said firmly, advancing until he was almost in Kylo’s personal space.

“You have got to be joking. _First Order?_ Led by fucking uptight assholes who would rather stomp on workers like me and Techie than help them out? That First Order?” Kylo asked, holding up his hands and smiling, actually impressed with the traitor’s survival instincts.

 _Speak for yourself, Ren,_ Hux chided dryly, though secretly he was quite amused.

 _You be quiet_ , Kylo countered, mentally rolling his eyes. _I am trying to keep a low profile. How am I going to do that if I have to end up killing him?_

 _Dead or alive, it makes no difference to me_ , Hux deadpanned, taking a sip of hot caf for the sake of his men even if the effect was lost on him.

 _Kriff. And here I thought I was going to be able to bring a live present for your torturous enjoyment back with me once the mission is complete. I guess you never did like getting your hands dirty_ , Kylo teased.

 _On second thought, live would do very nicely. But, seriously, if you have to kill him, it’ll be one less traitor in our midst,_ Hux stated with a small twitch in his lips.

“Just stay the hell away from us,” Finn said.

“You can get out of my personal space now. Otherwise I might get your cologne on me and cause Techie to get jealous,” Kylo said, forcing the other to back away slightly.

Finn got this comical look on his face, like he’d swallowed a fish for one long moment. Then he huffed out a snort in mirth. Reaching over he slapped Kylo on the shoulder, ignoring the flinch he received at the act and he said with a laugh, “You know what, Matt? You are alright. Maybe you are First Order. Maybe you aren’t, but I like you. Just leave us alone, ok?”

Kylo laughed softly before he sobered and nodded, “You leave us alone, we will leave you alone.”

“That’s not how it works, but I’ll take it,” Finn stated before he withdrew and left, throwing over his shoulder, “And sorry about the cologne! Rey was trying on enough perfume at the boutiques to even make a bantha smell like a piece of fruit.”

Kylo scowled. That asshole. Grunting, Kylo muttered, “Jerk face.”

Techie’s mirth filtered into his mind. The ginger said calmly, _You are right Master, I am jealous. He got to touch you while you are working and I can’t even see you until lunch._

 _Sorry, Techie. I can go rip off one of his arms, if you’d like?_ Kylo suggested, wrinkling his nose at the now strange fruity smell permeating from his shoulder.

 _No, that’s ok. I’ll leave the torture to Hux. But, if he touches you again, I might have to join in the fun,_ Techie stated with a surge of possessiveness. 

_I don’t know why, but you continue to amaze me, Techie,_ Hux said with a full smile this time. _And of course you can help with the torture. I don’t mind sharing my prizes._

Kylo rolled his eyes and huffed as Leslie returned from her break, muffin crumbs littering the chest of her uniform.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

In order to avoid detection the following day, Kylo and Techie went about their jobs, though they kept close eyes on the two fugitives. BB-8 was seen only with them now, and soon it would be time to make a move. While at lunch, the two discussed possibilities with Hux, but then something happened to change everything.

The lights went out, and the whole city shook. Instinctively drawing away from Hux, not blocking him but dampening their thoughts collectively so as not to alarm him, Kylo and Techie breathed at the new development.

“What the hell was that?” Techie asked, clutching onto his Master as they stood in the darkness. Soon the lights went to backup auxiliary power, illuminating everyone in red light.

Reaching out with the Force, Kylo hissed in annoyance right before alarms started sounding. Kylo took hold of Techie’s hand and stated, “Han Solo just landed, and it looks like Kanjiklub and the Guavian Death Gang are tired of waiting.”

Tugging Techie towards the nearest exit, managing to shove his way through despite the terror mob of people heading out of the mess hall, Kylo added over his shoulder, “It looks like this is the perfect time to get this mission finished.”

“Master, I thought Kanjiklub and the Gang were agreeing to hold back until we finished the mission!” Techie gasped out, grateful for Kylo’s durasteel grip on his wrist as they maneuvered their way through the panicked crowd.

“It seems their hatred of Han Solo overrides their loyalty and purse strings,” Kylo said, finally reaching their quarters. 

Hearing shots being fired in the area, Kylo used the Force to slam a person into a wall nearby. The male Twi’lek crumpled in a heap at their feet, unconscious. Kylo effectively disarmed the male and handed the blaster and knife to Techie. 

After packing up their dismal belongings, Kylo and Techie took one look both ways outside of their quarters before the knight ordered softly, “Stay behind me and cover my back. Remember what we discussed and planned last night.”

“Yes, Master,” Techie whispered, arming his blaster carefully as Kylo engaged his lightsaber.

He knew how to use a blaster, but ever since he’d been employed on the Finalizer he hadn’t had to use one. Using blasters were much like learning how to type on a generic keyboard. Once you learned, you never forgot. Going into a defensive position at Kylo’s back, the both of them made their way down the red illuminated hallways, and headed up staircases. It was best not to use the lift if the city was still under attack. Techie was glad for the endurance of hiking the steps at the Peach Tree complex, even if he was six months lax in working out his legs.

By the time they got to the hundredth floor, they started hearing the echoing sounds of blaster fire and the unmistakable noise of a lightsaber. They paused to catch their breath, Techie pulling out his data pad to find and track Rey and Finn, attaching his stolen blaster to his belt. Both the scavenger and traitor were in a three way blaster fight with Kanjiklub and the Guavian Death Gang. “They are on level 22 right above us.” Techie breathed, looking up at the endless flights of stairs. Shivering slightly, Techie heard and felt wind as something fell past his ear. Turning to look down over the railing of the stairwell, he reflexively dropped his data pad and reached out to grab whatever it was.

Closing his fist over metal, Techie saw the data pad hovering in the air on the other side of him, thanks to Kylo’s quick thinking. Kylo narrowed his eyes at the object now in Techie’s left hand. A mix of emotions flooded through him at the sight, but when Techie noticed what it was and offered it over to him instantly, Kylo shook his head, “Keep it for now. May it guide you and serve you well, Apprentice Willtech.”

Techie looked at the lightsaber hilt in awe, licking his lips in shock. Something about the lightsaber called to him, and he clipped it quickly to his belt, not wanting to lose something so precious to his Master. He took back up the data pad from his Master and gave him a quick nod to let him know he was ready to continue.

As the fighting noises continued in earnest above them, Kylo turned to start back up his assent, murmuring, “We’d better hurry. We don’t want them to leave with the droid.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Kriff, what do you mean they’ve been attacked?! Why wasn’t I notified immediately?” Hux growled, coming to a standstill near Snoke’s antechamber.

Phasma would have arched an eyebrow at him if her helmet was off. Still, she calmly stated, “They haven’t contacted you?”

“No, not yet,” Hux admitted, reaching out with the bond, hitting a slight push from both Kylo and Techie. Kriff, they were trying to keep him from seeing what was happening. They must be trying to keep him from worrying, either that or they were in such a predicament that they couldn’t afford a distraction.

It was maddening but understandable. Phasma cocked her head and stated, “I doubt they haven’t been harmed yet. Still, that the Supreme Leader has called us both here means only one thing.”

“They need more than just backup,” Hux breathed, nodding stiffly, calming himself down.

Now was not the time to panic.

“They need more than just backup,” Phasma agreed before they both headed in to be briefed by the Supreme Leader.

As they came to stand before the huge holo of Snoke, Hux carefully schooled his features behind coolness and collectiveness, hiding everything behind his mental shields and keeping them firm. Snoke regarded the two subordinates with interest before he started speaking, not wanting to hesitate when there was a possible problem his Apprentice was encountering.

“Han Solo has returned to Cloud City, enraging Kanjiklub and Guavian Death Gang members into going after him immediately. Our previous arrangement with them is now to be considered null and void,” Snoke explained carefully, watching Hux’s expressions the whole time.

The General clenched his fists in anger but otherwise kept himself calm. There was something odd about the man’s eyes, but it didn’t seem quite clear in the holo. Dismissing it for later observance, the Supreme Leader continued, “Therefore they are considered enemies. Regardless if they destroy Han Solo and his companions, they have gone against our agreement.”

“Understandable, Supreme Leader,” Hux agreed whole heartedly.

“This was an event highly unforeseen and though Lord Kylo Ren and his Apprentice are capable of handling this new obstacle, even without the help of backup, I am growing impatient with getting the droid. Therefore, I am requesting you, General Hux, to come up with a solution to assist them in bringing the droid back,” Snoke said shrewdly, narrowing his cold eyes on Hux. “I want you to personally go to Cloud City and assist them.”

Knowing he was being scrutinized moreso than usual, Hux protested per the norm, “But, Supreme Leader, I have work here. You said so yourself that you wanted me to ensure that my men worked harder and ahead of schedule on the weapon. I have another week until I give you my full report on their progress.”

“I am sure Captain Phasma will be all too willing to cover for you while you are away,” Snoke stated dryly, amused. 

He nodded to Phasma and the tall silver armored captain affirmed, “Sir.”

After the captain left, Snoke leaned in and said very coolly, “If you fail me in this, I will be very displeased. Be sure to stay incognito as best you can. I doubt the skirmish will last long, and by the time you arrive, it should be cleaned up. Regardless, I want that droid as fast as possible. You understand?”

Taking the threat and promise for what it was, Hux nodded stiffly, scowling in annoyance. “Yes, Supreme Leader.”

“You may go now, no time to waste,” Snoke dismissed the General, lips twitching in mirth as the man stalked out of the antechamber. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Techie and Kylo came up behind Rey and Finn, causing both to nearly freak out in the process. “What the hell is _wrong_ with you? You can’t just come up behind a person and not scare the shit out of them!” Finn hissed at Techie, causing the ginger to glare at him.

Kylo growled at Finn, “Leave him alone. We are here to save your sorry asses, so thanks for that.”

“What do you mean, save us?” Rey asked, looking over at Kylo. It was then that she noticed the red lightsaber in his hand and a blaster in Techie’s hands.

“Hey wait a minute, that looks a whole lot like –“ Further comment from Finn was broken off by blaster fire coming from above. “Damn, how are we going to escape them up there as well as Kanjiklub roaming the halls over there?”

Turning a quick look around, all four ducked to dodge more blaster fire. Kylo noted that BB-8 wasn’t there. Scowling thoughtfully, Techie whispered, “Hey, I think we can maybe go down a few levels and get out that way?”

“Not a bad idea unless Kanjiklub shoots us dead while trying to reach it,” Rey stated, trying to return fire and failing abysmally in the process. 

She really needed some blaster training. Still, the second time she tried, the plasma hit its target, causing one of the crime lords to fall to his knees, but not down him completely. Techie aimed and fired, letting out a surprised eep when his blaster shot out a huge burst of plasma and electricity, effectively blasting a few people from Kanjiklub on the other side of the stairwell. Several lost balance on the side doorway and fell to their death.

“Ok, I knew I liked you from the first moment I saw you, Techie, but now I _really_ like you,” Rey said as they started heading down the stairs, dodging a few shots coming from above. At least with most of Kanjiklub down for the count, they had a chance to get to a lower level and then escape through a different stairwell.

Kylo gritted out as he put himself in between Rey and Techie, “He’s _my_ husband so **paws** off.”

“I didn’t mean it like that, you _karking_ mouth breather,” Rey shot back, and then flushed when Kylo arched a brow at the comment. “And forgive me if I am just a _little_ bit stressed! I am not used to being shot at by twenty or so people in a stairwell.”

“And you think _we_ are used to it?” Kylo snapped, allowing Techie to calmly take hold of his free hand and tug him out of the stairwell and onto level 25. 

Finn rolled his eyes and uttered, “Guys, can we save this conversation for later? We kind of need to get out of here before we get, you know, killed.”

He nudged Rey and the girl glowered at him but followed Kylo and Techie down the hall at a run. Kylo eventually took the lead, his lightsaber crackling ominously in one fist. Rey gritted out under her breath, “Techie, I do hope your husband knows where he’s going!”

“Don’t worry, he does!” Techie flashed her a small confident smile before he turned his attention back to where they were going. They passed fleeing or cowering people on the way, every once in a while making turns or going up more flights of stairs. 

“I was afraid he’d say that,” Finn panted out, pausing to shoot at a stubborn Guavian Death Gang member catching up to them from behind.

Once they finally got to level 4, they ran right smack dab into another fight, this time between Han Solo, BB-8, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian and more members of the Guavian Death Gang. Nearly stumbling to a halt and effectively causing Techie to ram straight into him, Kylo was put off balance and grunted as he slammed into a wall. His glasses got skewed but didn’t fall off of his face. He quickly tugged Techie around and let out a curse as blaster fire rained down upon them both. 

With a low hiss, Kylo whipped out his hand reflexively and stopped all the plasma bolts and then with a growl in anger, he sent the fire back to where it had come from. Several Gang members ducked or got shot by their own blaster fire. There was heavy smoke in the air from all of the weapons discharging, and Kylo grit his teeth as he caught sight of one very knowing look coming from FN-2187. Shit, their cover had been blown.

Rey looked stunned, but wasn’t able to comment when more blaster fire started back up. 

Giving Techie a careful look over and noting that the ginger was trembling but otherwise ok, Kylo tugged him towards BB-8 and the others which were hiding behind an alcove in the hall. After coming to a mental decision, FN-2187 followed Rey to do the same. Han Solo turned and spotted Kylo, and the knight nearly froze. But then he swallowed and clenched his lightsaber, effectively deflecting another few blaster shots, sending them skewing in different directions.

Chewbacca let out a series of vocal rumbles before he enveloped Kylo in a bone squishing hug, shocking the knight. How had the Wookie recognized him? Techie briefly looked up at Kylo being manhandled by the large Wookie and ducked when a stray blaster shot went past his head. Kriff, that had been close!

“Chewie? What in the blazes are you doing?” Han hollered, returning fire. “A little _help_ here would be great!”

The large Wookie plucked off Kylo’s wig and let out another series of rumbles affectionately before he released the knight, discarded the wig and joined up again in the fight. Kylo breathed in deeply, trying not to panic. Finally he tore off his glasses and got down to business. Brandishing his lightsaber, Kylo deflected more blaster fire and did a rebound effect, causing more plasma to be shot back at their enemies.

Techie quickly took a peek around the corner and nearly got his face blasted off in his efforts. Scowling, Techie whipped around and shot at the Gang members, letting out another eep when the same thing that happened the last time happened this time. A huge blast of electricity funneled by the blaster shot collided with some Gang members, sending them flying backwards further down the hall. 

Han Solo gave Techie a grudgingly interested and impressed look before he went back to fighting. Lando Calrissian hissed as he got grazed by one of the blasters. BB-8 let out a series of bloops and beeps before he spun over to Rey and Finn. “Hey Han, no meaning disrespect, but the next time you decide to ask me to come for a visit, don’t bring all of your baggage with you, will you buddy?” Lando hollered over at Han.

“Hey, it’s not like I could help it!” Han protested, pausing to glance over at Kylo and Techie, suddenly narrowing his eyes. He knew that face.

Kylo noted the recognition and full out glowered. He gritted out, “Don’t even start.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? I haven’t said anything!” Han protested, looking over his son curiously before he shot off a few more times with his blaster at the Gang that were getting a bit too close for comfort.

“No, but you were thinking it,” Kylo bit out before he tugged Techie near Chewie and kissed him tenderly on the lips. “Stay put.”

Techie nodded and watched as Kylo clenched his lightsaber and after a deep breath, went straight into the path of the blaster fire, eyes flaring to gold. 

“I hate it when he does that,” Han grumbled in regards to his son being able to read his mind so easily. The boy definitely took after his mother in that area. He looked over at Techie and arched a brow. “You his boyfriend or something like that?”

“He’s his husband,” Rey piped in, sharing a shrewd look with Techie, who flushed but didn’t deny it. 

Chewie reached over and ruffled Techie’s head before he tugged Rey to him in a big hug. Finn glowered at Chewie but let out a deep sigh when he too was given a hug. “Nice to see you too, big guy.”

“His husband….” Han arched a brow, but then shrugged, “Ok then. Good luck with that.”

“Thanks, I think,” Techie said, feeling way too awkward. Trying hard not to feel intimidated by the overly friendly if brash Wookie near him, Techie squinted around the corner to watch Kylo.

“Wait, how do you know Kylo Ren?” Finn asked Han.

Han arched a brow, “I don’t know anyone personal named Kylo Ren, but I do know my son when I see him. That’s Ben Solo. That’s my son.”

“That’s Bennie all grown up?” Lando asked, gaping in shock as Kylo single handedly massacred the remaining Gang members with ease and skill. “That lightsaber though….”

“Whatever you do, don’t put two and two together just yet. For right now, he’s just my son,” Han pointed out dryly. “And he’s saving us so I think we can grant him that at least, am I right?”

“Ok then,” Lando nodded, “I’ll do that. But, once this all is cleaned up, you owe me an explanation. A big one.”

“I think he owes us a lot more than that,” Rey stated dryly, though her thoughts were racing at the fact that Matt – the radar technician and Techie’s husband was in fact Han’s son and Lord Kylo Ren. It was enough to make her brain hurt. 

Techie peered through the dispersing dust and instantly spotted Kylo surrounded by a ring of dead people. His lightsaber was still crackling as he turned to look at the people he’d just protected. Techie waited until the dust and smoke cleared just a bit more before he disobeyed Kylo’s instructions and raced over to him. Kylo let out a soft oof as Techie practically tackled him into a fierce hug.

Kylo disengaged his lightsaber and sighed deeply, eyes softening to tender brown as he looked down at his Apprentice. Clipping his lightsaber onto his belt, Kylo leaned in to peck the ginger on his lips. “You ok?”

“Yea, I am now. Are you?” Techie responded, looking over his master’s face, taking in the sight of windswept sweat dampened dark hair, dirt smudges on his face, and eventually the faint discoloration of a bruise near the knight’s temple. 

Techie reached up and touched the area carefully, feeling a bit guilty about accidentally slamming his Master into a wall to cause that. “It’s fine, Techie. I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt,” Kylo murmured.

 _What are we going to do now, Master?_ Techie asked him mentally.

 _I am not certain. But, I will think of something,_ Kylo said, narrowing his eyes slightly in thought.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

“Your mother will kill me if I don’t tell her about seeing you at least,” Han sighed deeply, running his hand through his hair, feeling aged way beyond his years. “Though, I haven’t seen her in years, not since… you know.”

Ben, no Kylo, sat beside him, idly watching some of the cloud hovercrafts rolling by. They were currently on a high balcony off of Lando’s condo. Kylo had felt even more naked without his wig and glasses so he had donned them while the mess of the Guavian Death Gang had been cleaned up. Once everyone had followed Lando to his condo, Kylo and Techie and the others had taken turns freshening up.

It wasn’t like Kylo or Techie could steel BB-8 away out from under the group’s midst, so they had decided to let things go for now in an unspoken truce, fragile as it was. Hux had been informed by then, and Kylo and Techie had left nothing out.

Strangely, Hux hadn’t been irritated or angry at all with them. He’d even congratulated them on a successful fight outcome and also that he was pleased with the fact that the two were now strategically placed near the droid. And then Hux had told them what had happened with the Supreme Leader. 

So, the three agreed mentally to meet Hux in secret the following night at one of the large night clubs. 

How Kylo and Techie were going to be able to get away from the group for a bit in order to meet with the General, the two didn’t know. Kylo was sure he’d find a way if Techie and Hux didn’t. Both Techie and Kylo couldn’t help feeling anxious to see their lover after five long days physically away from him. Yes, he was coming on the orders of Leader Snoke, but the fact that he was coming in general made them feel relieved and content.

Kylo’s mood had lifted drastically due to the aspect, which is why he was now sitting down next to his father and actually spending some time with him and not getting into an argument. When he’d told the Supreme Leader and Hux that Han meant nothing to him, that obviously hadn’t been exactly true. However, Kylo was determined not to fail this mission, even if it meant ending the life of someone attached to his past. 

But, for now, he didn’t mind just being in his father’s presence. 

Techie helped his mood as well. The brave long haired ginger had gotten very attached to Rey over the past hour or so, but Kylo wasn’t worried. Techie was getting to know his adversaries carefully, stating in Kylo’s mind that it was beneficial to know the other’s secrets. Plus, if Techie could possibly get Rey to sway in their favor, then maybe their mission would be easier to accomplish.

Finn had scowled at them both, and had protested to the continued presence of Kylo and Techie, but he’d shut his mouth when Han had given him a stern fatherly look. One that broke no argument. So, the man sulked and sat close to Rey, every once in a while glowering in Kylo’s direction.

“If you see her, tell her the truth,” Kylo said softly, looking out at the dusk filled sky. “I can’t go back. I just can’t.”

“I know that. She probably knows it too, in all honesty,” Han stated with a deep sigh. “Snoke’s bad business though, Ben. He’s just using you for your power. Once he gets what he wants, he’ll destroy you. You know it’s true.”

“The Supreme Leader is wise,” Kylo murmured, though even he didn’t believe his own words anymore. “And I am not Ben anymore. I haven’t been for a long time. Besides, it’s too late for me to turn.”

Han looked over at his son and reached out to place his hand on Kylo’s shoulder. With a small smirk, Han stated softly, “It might be too late for Ben. It might even be too late for Kylo Ren. But it isn’t too late for my son. Whatever you end up calling yourself – even if it is still Kylo Ren, there is always a way to change your own path. If it’s not Snoke’s path, or your mother’s then that’s ok. Just make your own path and run with it.”

“You giving me sound advice is not something I would have ever been able to foresee,” Kylo teased a bit, causing Han to nod in perfect agreement.

There was congenial silence between the two for a while until Han looked behind his shoulder at Techie laughing at something Rey had said. He nodded in his direction, “Your husband seems to have a firm head on his shoulders.”

Kylo snorted, “Yes he does. I’d be lost without him.” And Hux.

He really didn’t want to ponder on just how true that statement was. Kylo looked over at his Apprentice, noting the way his nose wrinkled whenever he was about ready to laugh. Han noted his son’s softened but still intense expression. Huffing out a sigh, the smuggler and war hero decided it was time to join the masses. 

The fragile peace the group was under wouldn’t last. It might even end in the next few hours, or it could last a few days. Regardless, Han and Kylo were content to appreciate it while it was still there. Han wasn’t naïve – far from it. He knew that his son would go back to the First Order, and the next time that they saw each other they might still be on opposing sides trying to kill each other. 

But, for now, there was peace.


	12. Vermilion Frost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all have enjoyed the ride so far! Here is the next chapter. Triggers are off course listed at the bottom of the chapter. I hope you like this chapter ;)

### Chapter 12: Vermilion Frost

“You aren’t serious?” Hux gaped at Phasma as the captain crossed her arms over her chest, chrome armor clanking slightly as she propped herself up against the shuttle’s wall. She was accompanying him to make the short trip to the Finalizer before she headed back to Starkiller base. 

The captain was silent for one long moment.

“You _are_ serious,” Hux breathed, mind almost blown.

“Just think about it, Hux,” Phasma said, amusement filtering through her helmet’s modulator. “You were fabulous back then, why not now? And don’t tell me you haven’t kept in enough shape. I know you might be a bit soft in areas but you still look gorgeous enough to pull it off.”

“Thanks for that. Your confidence in me is _astounding_ ,” Hux dryly stated before he shrewdly thought about what she was suggesting. Letting out a soft exasperated moan, the General protested, “But I haven’t done those moves in forever! Being fit is _one_ thing, pole dancing is **_another_**!”

“I am sure you will do fine. And if not, I am sure your boys will help rub out your sore muscles once the mission has been completed,” Phasma said with a small mischievous snort.

“That was dirty, Phasma, and you shouldn’t put my mind where it doesn’t need to be right now,” Hux complained, rubbing his face tiredly.

“As if your mind has ever left the gutter,” Phasma deadpanned before she added, “Can you think of any other better cover?”

“No, unfortunately not,” Hux let out a deep sigh.

Sitting back, Hux narrowed his eyes a bit before he grudgingly admitted, “It’s been years, but I _could_ pull it off.”

“That’s the spirit,” Phasma said, smiling behind her helmet. “You owe me one.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I owe you way more than that,” Hux stated dryly before he huffed, “What’s it this time? Earthling hot cocoa mixes?”

“Tempting, but no,” Phasma said softly. Finally she proposed, “How about Earthling chocolate covered salted almonds and a new zero gravity emitter for my men’s gym?”

“Chocolate in bulk?”

“In bulk.”

“Very well,” Hux conceded.

Phasma hummed softly, pleased. “And for you to take a selfie.”

“We might get shot at! And when would I even have time to do _that?_ ”

“Selfie or I’ll show Kylo and Techie your drunk Academy photos.”

“Phasma! You wouldn’t _dare_!” Hux gaped, but then he scowled, “On second thought, you **would**. Fine, a selfie if I have time – but I can’t make any promises on that.”

“That’ll have to do,” Phasma relented.

\-----------------------------------------------------

“Do you think the plan will work?” Techie asked Kylo as they rested in one of Lando’s rooms. 

Techie was curled up in Kylo’s embrace, idly tracing one of the knight’s thin scars on his chest. Kylo was only clad in black briefs, though Techie was fully clothed, not that either one minded. Both were in bed, idly listening to the sounds coming from outside their lone window as well as keeping mental ears open just in case the other occupants decided to try and leave without them knowing. As of right now, Kylo wasn’t so sure that the scavenger, the traitor and the droid might just make a run for it – despite being able to hash out a deal with them an hour before hand.

Kylo idly ran his fingers through the ginger’s soft tresses as he thought about things. Finally, licking his lips, the knight whispered, “Yes. It’s a good plan, though shaky at best. I don’t trust them not to make a run for it still.”

“But, Rey gave her word,” Techie said with an arched brow. Then he huffed, “And despite her being an enemy, she’s honest. So, I believe that if she says that they will do what she can to help us all out, then I know she means it.”

“That may be the case, Techie,” Kylo admitted before he added, “But I don’t trust what might happen. I don’t trust what might happen if things start to go wrong tomorrow. Hux is willing to try this, but if it starts to fall apart around us, I wouldn’t be surprised if Finn or Rey decide to save themselves with the droid. And I wouldn’t blame them if they did abandon us. It would be stupid of them not to.”

“Somehow I doubt it’ll happen that way, Master, but I get your point,” Techie huffed out a deep sigh and burrowed his face more into Kylo’s chest, breathing in his familiar scent. 

“Regardless, if things don’t go according to plan, then we will just have to move on to Hux’s Plan B,” Kylo said, lightly tracing the outer shape of one of Techie’s earlobes.

Techie licked his lips and let his eyelids rest. The red puffiness that had been so apparent only a week before was now gone completely. He still had to remember to put in eye drops once a day at least, but they didn’t itch or chafe anymore, so that was a plus. He’d probably have to keep putting drops in once a day for the rest of his life, or at least until he was brave enough to get a procedure done to give him back natural eye lubrication. The eyes themselves were fine and Techie didn’t mind them being bionic. 

Maybe someday he’d be able to get it done, but for now, he was content with the eye drops.

Due to the fact that they had run out of any other options or ideas for a good plan, the three men had come up with a solution to their dilemma with the droid. It really wasn’t a fail-safe approach, but it was the best they could do, especially since it would keep the group together until the very end of tomorrow. 

Kylo and Techie had talked to the group as a whole, making sure to keep Hux’s identity a secret. Kylo did most of the talking, explaining the dilemma and that the only feasible way to spare blood shed on all of their parts was to compromise. If Kylo and Techie were allowed to make a copy of the map fragment (they made sure not to say it was just a fragment just in case Rey and the others hadn’t viewed it yet), then they would be willing to part ways with the others without a problem. However, they would have to stage a fake capture of the droid or Rey due to the fact that the girl had the cleanest criminal record out of group. Once the fake capture took place, then Finn and the others would ‘rescue’ Rey or the droid and be on their way.

Hux was going to come and meet them as originally planned, however, Rey, Finn, and the droid had agreed to come with Kylo and Techie to the night club. Finn of course, had only agreed due to the fact that he wasn’t going to let Rey or BB-8 out of his sight for one second.

Though Kylo and Techie still had not divulged who their ally was in the First Order that was willing to stage a fake capture and escape, Rey had seemed relieved at the chance that everyone might be able to leave safely, part ways and go about their own businesses. The girl really wanted to return to Jakku, though Finn was trying and failing to convince her to come with him, Han, and Chewie after the droid was delivered to the Resistance. 

Though Kylo really, really did not want the map fragment to get into the hands of the Resistance, he also knew that they were sort of at an impasse. It was best to go ahead and stage this, pull it off, and have a copy of the map fragment so once returning to the Finalizer, the First Order could start the process of finding Luke Skywalker.

Despite Rey’s determination and everyone’s acquiescence, Kylo wasn’t a fool, nor were Techie and Hux. Which is why Hux had a backup plan up his sleeves just in case things went wrong tomorrow night. Either way it went, Kylo would have that map fragment, even if it meant destroying the fragile peace he had been content with the last few hours. He knew Techie liked Rey, but he also knew that his Apprentice would do what was necessary for them to succeed in their mission. He just hoped that tomorrow night would go according to plan.

Kylo wanted to leave Cloud City and its memories behind. 

Lando hadn’t talked much to him during their small ceasefire, but when he had, the older man had been genuinely interested in Kylo. Of course in order to keep the peace, no one brought up past deeds or possible future deeds. It was best not to dwell on one’s past regardless of who’s it was. Kylo still ached a bit when Lando had called him ‘starfighter’. It had been a long time since Lando had called him that. It almost made him wonder what the man would call him once they got back into being on two opposing sides of the war. 

Huffing out a soft sigh and drawing his thoughts away from that depressing road, Kylo looked down at Techie, noting the man was dozing but not sleeping. Techie met his eyes and leaned up a bit for a kiss. Kylo reveled in the feel of the ginger’s soft, pouty lips against his. Determined to not care one way or the other what Lando or anyone else thought of him after tomorrow, Kylo tugged Techie up a bit so he could kiss him more fully.

Letting out a soft, contented mewl, Techie obliged and deepened the kiss.

Licking at the slightly chapped crease of his first Apprentice’s lips, Kylo prodded the area with his tongue until Techie opened his mouth. They kept the kisses sweet and slow, knowing that they were guests in this apartment, as well as the fact that two other Force sensitives were not far away. Though Finn and Rey still hadn’t been tested, Kylo and Techie both didn’t want to push their luck. 

Privacy was a luxury they would have to do without until the mission was finished.

By then, Hux would be by their side again. 

And they would have the map fragment in their possession.

\-------------------------------------

The following evening, Hux had arrived just as the sun was dipping below the horizon. It was a good thing, considering otherwise he’d have to pour on the sunscreen in copious amounts. That would have been annoying but necessary to do. 

The ginger was currently in the dressing room of the night club he had agreed to meet Kylo, Techie and the others at.

Heels clicking, Hux looked himself over one more time before he figured he looked hot enough to distract. That was the whole point of dressing obscenely as he was. If he could distract others, then Kylo and Techie would be able to slip into the club easily with their ‘package’ delivery. He hadn’t told Kylo or Techie what he’d be doing, or what he’d be wearing. 

There hadn’t been much of a point in doing so. Plus, some secret fetish of his was seeing shock and lust plastered over his lovers’ faces. He didn’t want to admit to anyone just how much he had missed the other two this past week. Holo calls and blood packets just didn’t do justice. The _dhampyre_ ached to hold his lovers in his arms again, feel their skin under his hands, hear the warm blood pumping through their veins, breathe in their exotic scents of spice and electricity. He missed the comfort and safety he had begun getting used to being in their presence.

So, he couldn’t help wanting to impress Kylo and Techie.

Smoothing his black painted nails down his see through black lace briefs, he checked again that the switch blade hidden strategically on his hip was easily accessed. Hux had managed to sneak in several blades on his person once arriving at Cloud City. Though he should have been appalled by the city’s lax security, he was actually relieved that he’d been able to smuggle two long knives in his knee high, sleek black stiletto boots, switchblade at his hip, and even a few wicked blades in his cleverly decorative black wrist bands and shimmery crimson thin strapped short bondage dress. Since this club was of a particular nature, Hux had made sure to wear a thick leather dog collar with a D hook, rather than wearing any dangling jewelry.

He was there to shock, perhaps stun and entrance the populace, but not to get tackled to the ground and ravaged (unless it was by his two very possessive lovers). Around his shoulders Hux wore a silky black robe that was enticing, but also concealed a small blaster. How he had managed to get through the club’s security with the bouncers not batting an eyelash was horrifyingly astounding. Seems Kylo was right in stating that the security was horribly lax, even amongst the inner city.

For makeup, Hux wore a soft pale powder that accentuated his natural androgynous features, though he did dust a bit of red glitter onto his cheeks, his shoulders, and chest. He doubted that he’d get that far in stripping down tonight, but he was prepared for it just in case. Black liner and dark smudged eyemakeup made him look mysterious and true to his vampiric nature, but he didn’t go for crimson on his pouty, full lips. A small bit of red shimmery lip gloss did the effect he wanted, and instead of going for his natural slicked back hairstyle, Hux made sure his hair was sexed up in disarray. The affect made him look primal, like prey but also a predator on the hunt. 

He rather liked the look if he truly thought about it. 

Letting his baser self come to the surface, his eyes flickering red in the dim light of the dressing room, Hux figured it felt good to finally let loose of his inner weapon. He was ready. Remembering Phasma’s ridiculous demand, Hux tugged up his small digital wrist band and snapped a photo. Scowling, he pressed a few buttons to encrypt the photo and sent it off to the Captain.

There, now he had succeeded in completing one challenge.

He just had to ensure doing the rest just as smoothly, if at all possible. 

Stepping out into the wild flashing lights of the club dance floor, Hux positioned himself on a high platform that sported a few poles. It was still considered early for a vampire club, and the place wasn’t that busy just yet. Hux narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and waited for long minutes before he needed to start working his sensual erotic magic. The music inside the place was thrumming with deep gothic grinding music. Some of the songs were downright depressing, others were uplifting or sexy. 

_‘It's too late for suicide, we've been dead for quite a while; We don't look for cover when the bombers come in low We don't turn the other cheek, we're too brave to think we're free; It's too late to let it go, we've been dead for quite a while_

_Dance for me, strip away the pain, you know the world is ending here tonight Dance for me, strip away the pain and don't you let me die alone tonight Tonight, everything will change tonight’_

Once it was fully dark outside, Hux knew from experience of night clubs in general that the beats would change to dark, sexual, and dangerous. Some songs would be in basic, others would be in various other languages. The language of the songs didn’t matter, nor did the words. As long as the beat was trance like and sexy, and the voices were aimed to seduce, then that’s all he would need to ensnare a big enough distraction to help his lovers out.

He just hoped that Kylo and Techie wouldn’t be so distracted by his looks that they would forget the mission.

Reaching out mentally to feel their bonds, he noted that both were still at Lando’s condo, far enough away from the club to not hear the thrumming loud music, but close enough for Kylo and Techie to be able to cross the distance easily enough. Kylo sent soothing thoughts through their bond, but otherwise didn’t speak to Hux.

Hux, however, had nothing to do for the moment besides go over their plan internally, so he felt the need to warn the knight. _I am also incognito, so I might not look like what you would expect._

 _I kind of figured that,_ Kylo stated before he added, _I am sure Techie and I will recognize you regardless. The bond doesn’t lie._

 _Good to know. I just wanted to be sure you knew, so you wouldn’t be too distracted when the time comes for us to act,_ Hux admitted, taking up an offered lit cigarette from a fellow temporary coworker near him next to a different pole. Though Hux didn’t smoke, not liking the habit, he still sucked in the noxious fumes and exhaled it easily.

_‘It's too late for suicide, we've been dead for quite a while We don't look for cover when the bombers come in low; We don't turn the other cheek, we're too brave to think we're free It's too late to let it go, we've been dead for quite a while_

_Dance for me, strip away the pain, you know the world is ending here tonight Dance for me, strip away the pain and don't you let me die alone tonight; Tonight, everything will change tonight’_

In a vampire club, smoking was allowed. There were regulation smoke detectors and sprinklers on all sides of the building, but those were geared only to set off if actual flames were hitting the censors. Vampires liked to bend the rules. The blue female vampire twi’lek hybrid next to him took back the cigarette and puffed a few times daintily.

After a few more minutes of congenial posing, the twi’lek finished her cigarette and nodded at him with a quirky smirk. It was time to start performing.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

Kylo, Techie, Finn, Rey and BB-8 headed to the club about thirty minutes before they were supposed to meet Hux. It was best to get there early so they could get through the line easier. The line was long, but the bouncers were pretty good about checking IDs and ushering people in. Narrowing his eyes, Kylo reached out with the Force to feel their surroundings as they waited. Several people in line and inside the thrumming business were of darker natures, and it didn’t take Kylo long to find out that those particular people were of vampire descent.

 _Hux, you didn’t say anything about this place being a vampire club,_ Kylo pointed out dryly, though he wasn’t that alarmed. He knew he could take care of himself, and his Apprentice could as well. The long ginger haired Force sensitive was standing next to him clenching his fists nervously, but otherwise he didn’t seem distressed or fearful. Kylo felt a sense of pride for his Apprentice as the male started modeling his actions and reaching out with the Force to get a sense of his surroundings.

Techie had come so far already, and though some of his progress was going to be slow going, Kylo couldn’t help but enjoy every minute that he was with the former technician. Since no one around this part of Cloud City would remember Ben Solo all those years ago the last time he’d visited, Kylo had forgone his technician attire for something more basic for club going. He had advised Techie to do the same. Dressed all in hastily purchased black clothing from head to toe, both males fit in with the surrounding gothic garbed crowd. Rey and Finn had modeled after them, not ever having been to a club, regardless of the type.

They’d been to casinos, but nothing like a gothic club. So, they had taken Kylo’s advice when it came what to wear, even if the moody knight wasn’t too clear on what kind of club they were going to. Apparently he at least had chosen the right sort of style aesthetic. Though none of them had makeup on or piercings, the fact that they had dressed all in black comfortable, but tighter clothing made them blend in quite well.

Though the hastily bought clothing wasn’t as comfortable as their Knight of Ren attire, Techie and Kylo didn’t mind. At least they were more at ease in these clothes than in their technician garb.

Hux snorted dryly as he replied, _I didn’t, did I? Oh dear. Well, it shouldn’t make a difference, I am sure. There are plenty of humans that go to vampire nightclubs, I assure you._

 _Should we have purchased collars?_ Techie broke in nervously, noting that some hybrids were looking them up and down hungrily like a bunch of earthling wolves.

 _No, you should be fine. Just tell the bouncer to place the club stamp on your necks so that feeding vampires know you aren’t interested in bloodletting._ Hux rubbed his front lewdly on his pole, feeling strangely high and giddy. Perhaps he was looking forward to this a bit too much.

Then again, the life of a General of the First Order was not necessarily boring, but it didn’t have as much excitement as one would think. Hux had to admit – if only to himself, that this was a bit thrilling, if not downright exhilarating.

Kylo relayed the information to Finn and Rey, causing both to nod. Though both weren’t necessarily happy with the shocking reveal, they dealt with it. It wasn’t like they could back out now. BB-8 beeped a few times sassily, but otherwise stayed with the group.

“Our informant says that the security is incredibly lax, so weapons as long as they are concealed will be allowed in,” Kylo went on to explain softly.

Rey nodded and reflexively rubbed her hidden dagger and blaster at her hip. Finn had a few hidden blasters as well. When Rey had again spotted Techie wearing her previously lost lightsaber, she had protested, but then had relented when she noticed just how attached the Force sensitive was to it. Then again, Rey was not about to let Techie keep it if something went wrong tonight.

Techie understood and made sure to keep track of his lightsaber like a hawk though he was also armed with the blaster he had obtained the day before. Kylo was armed with just his lightsaber and a few knives, not feeling the need to have any blasters. He knew how to use them effectively, but if he didn’t have to use a blaster, then he chose not to. Lightsabers and the Force were good enough weapons for him.

Once they got to the entrance, Kylo was ready to do some mind manipulation if need be, but like Hux had said, the bouncers didn’t bat an eyelash before they pressed stamps onto the group’s necks and let them pass through. BB-8 spun in after them, and Kylo couldn’t help but be relieved that the club didn’t mind droids. Some places were still highly prejudiced against droids.

The music was loud and thrumming inside, having heavy bondage lyrics as they shuffled their way through the masses of dancing and grinding people. It got so loud and so overwhelming that Techie reached out to grip Kylo’s hand, wincing at the noise. Kylo squeezed Techie’s hand reassuringly and made sure to immerse his mind with his Apprentice’s. This was a huge test for Techie, and though the timid and anxious Force sensitive was already practically quaking in his boots, the male continued inside, determined to not fail Kylo or Hux.

_‘I know I prefer to hurt; It seems to comfort me and burn; I never asked for it - question; I never wanted it to end I know that I die gracefully in vain; I know inside deteriorates...; You're such a part of me I can't believe it's real; (Oh My Goth!) I crawl in my black box to hide I welcome misery with pride; Take turns in whipping me, I bleed; Enjoy the fantasy and greed’_

Failing the mission was not an option, and Techie was damned if he was going to let his Masters down.

Having Kylo’s comforting presence and touch in his mind helped a great deal. The mental noise around was horrible, but not as bad as it could have been.  
Once finally reaching the bar, the four sat down, letting Kylo order for them. BB-8 rolled over to position himself in between Finn and Rey. A few other BB units and mouse droids rolled or skittered by, offering a few friendly beeps in binary in passing.

_‘I know that I die gracefully in vain; I know inside deteriorates...; You're such a part of me I can't believe it's real; You're such a part of me; I can't believe it's real; You're such a part of me I can't believe it's real; You're such a part of me; I can't believe it's real; Oh my Goth! Subject to your world; Oh my Goth! Take pleasure in your hurt; Oh my Goth! Subject to your world Oh my Goth! Take pleasure in my hurt’_

“So where is this friend of yours?” Finn asked, managing to be heard over the noise of the music without shouting his head off.

Kylo took a sip of his drink as he surveyed their surroundings and once he felt a light tug on their bond, he turned and spotted Hux. Nearly spitting out his drink, Kylo coughed a bit to hide his shock, amusement, and desire. Techie had no such luck. He spewed his drink all over the bar hop, causing people around him to grimace and curse. Kylo patted his back gently before he nodded in the direction of Hux.

“Up there wearing the killer boots,” Kylo said.

Finn and Rey turned to look in the direction Kylo had pointed and gaped in shock.

Hux locked eyes with the four and gave them all a saucy evil grin before he continued grinding up against the pole. Kylo snorted as the song changed to an even more erotic and criminal lyric based tune. Kriff, Hux was really something.

_‘Innocent child, how you thought you knew me; Understood my ways, my dark needs The hunt is not the thrill I'm after; I want the kill, the conquest, to be your master Wrap your arms around my pale skin; It's too late to back out, you're in; On your knees and praise your new lord Deeper now, and here's your reward’_

“Oh, you know Vermilion Frost? Kinky bitch, isn’t he?” The Zabrak male bartender chuckled, easily wiping off the bar hop with a wet rag.

 _Vermilion… Frost?_ Techie asked, calming enough to snort at the stage name.

 _Well it was the best I could come up with on such short notice, so give me some slack,_ Hux defended, rolling his hips and wiggling his ass to the beat, looking over his shoulder at the four and batting his eyelashes naughtily.

‘Take me to bed and rip me apart; Take me to bed and rip me apart; Take me to bed and rip me apart Take me to bed and rip me apart’

Swallowing a bit at the lurid lyrics, Kylo felt his groin clench dangerously. Huffing softly, Kylo tore his eyes away from Hux and looked around carefully, noting no presence of Stormtroopers anywhere. _How long until Mitaka storms the club?_

 _We have an hour window. Once the song is over, I’ll come join you. I need a kriffing drink anyways regardless of the fact that its toxicity will be null and void in my bloodstream,_ Hux admitted dryly. It had been so long since he’d done something like this that he’d forgotten just how thirsty dancing erotically made a person.

Very well, Kylo said. Aloud he mentioned to the others, “He said to wait until after the song, and then he’ll have time to come join us.”

“How in the kriff did you get that from his… dancing?” Rey asked this time, truly curious.

“Very carefully. Millie has a way of communicating mind to mind with those he trusts,” Kylo explained, smirking when Hux burst out laughing in his mind.

 _That’s one way of putting it. And are you karking mad? Nicknaming me after my cat. I am sure she would be thrilled,_ Hux stated, arching his hips and teasing the crowd with running one flexible leg up and down the pole.

 _I am glad you approve,_ Kylo teased, not being able to keep a smirk off of his face.

“He’s Force Sensitive?” Rey asked, wincing when the bartender gave her an intrigued look.

“No, but he is half vampire. Half vampires can perform telepathy if they choose,” Techie explained for Kylo, causing his Master to smirk a bit in pride.

“That’s amazing!” Rey breathed with a grin. Finn felt like rolling his eyes, but let it go. Though, it was weird. How in the kriff was this person in the First Order if he was a vampire hybrid? That made no sense to Finn. 

Then again, he assumed the dancing hybrid did look a bit more like a human than most of the creatures dancing in the club. Perhaps he was able to cheat through the system somehow.

_‘Close your eyes, open your mind; Who do you blame? You're not the only one; On your knees, who do you please? Who do you feed until I find a better one?’_

Those lyrics caused both Techie and Kylo to squirm a bit on their bar stools. The things Hux was doing to that pole made them very, very uncomfortable. _You are making us jealous, Hux,_ Techie admonished, though he didn’t want the _dhampyre_ to stop.

 _That wasn’t my intention,_ Hux said unapologetically – though yes, yes it really was.

 _Well it might not be your intention, though I don’t believe you in the slightest, but if we had more time I’d take you right there up against Techie and your fucking pole and make everyone in the whole fucking club know you are ours, and ours alone,_ Kylo rumbled deep in his throat, finishing his drink with a small grimace.

 _Now that is a lovely picture, Ren. Perhaps once the mission is over you can demonstrate your passion in a more private session. I might be a bit of an exhibitionist, but I don’t think Techie is much of one, unless I am mistaken and you have more kinks than we’ve been led to believe?_ Hux pulled off his robe and arched his back up against the pole, hiking up his dress to show a tantalizing display of his naughty lace briefs.

“Karking hell,” Finn hissed softly and caught Rey’s entranced look. “Rey, stay focused. You gotta stay focused.”

“You better stay focused. He’s our husband,” Techie stated possessively. Mentally he admitted to Hux, _I am not sure about a kink like that, but I wouldn’t mind being shown it maybe way in the future, if that’s ok?_

 _Totally fine, Techie. And did I hear you suddenly become quite possessive about my person?_ Hux teased, but inside he was absolutely enjoying this. It was nice to feel wanted.

“You, you three are married to eachother?” Rey asked, incredulous.

The Zabrak bartender snorted and shrugged, “What’s the big deal? A lot of people are in triads or harems. It doesn’t matter here.”

“Nor should it matter anywhere,” Kylo stated dryly, “Our private life is our business.”

Rey wrinkled her nose a bit, but then sighed. “I guess so. Love is love, afterall.”

“If you say so,” Finn stated, not sure he wanted to know any more about Kylo Ren’s love life.

 _I can’t help it. I don’t want anyone taking you away from us,_ Techie explained, feeling a bit shy all of a sudden.

Hux didn’t comment, though he did send a wave of reassurance to Techie to let him know he understood and approved. Techie relaxed more and took a sip of his freshly refilled drink. Techie wasn’t a stranger to strong drink, but he didn’t want to drink too much and become incapacitated. That wouldn’t do at all.

Their mission was too important.

Once the song ended and Hux was finished tantalizing the crowd, he sauntered off of the stage and headed over to meet Kylo and the others. Before Kylo or anyone could move to give him space to sit down, Hux opted to easily plop down on the knight’s lap. Kylo easily balanced Hux’s hips to keep him stable, and leaned in for a deep, soul drenching kiss.

Hux let the knight tongue fuck his brains out for a long moment before he pulled away. Techie leaned in for a deep kiss in greeting, not minding that Hux had given Kylo attention first. 

“You’re late,” Kylo stated pointedly as Hux pulled away from Techie. 

Hux rolled his eyes, “Well excuse my white lily arse. I do have to be careful about being incognito, husband,” He ordered a drink from the bartender and wiggled his ass a bit against Kylo, but otherwise stayed still.

Techie reached over and ran his fingers over Hux’s shoulder and arm, just ensuring that the _dhampyre_ was really there with them. He then teased Hux’s thick collar, “This looks intense.”

“Mmmm, it is, Techie. You can own me or try it out yourself when we get back home,” Whether it was the Finalizer or Starkiller base, it didn’t matter. Hux watched as Techie flushed but nodded dryly.

Once he was served his drink, Hux took a few sips before he turned to Finn, Rey and BB-8. “Ah you three must be friends of my husbands. I am Vermilion Frost.”

Finn and Rey shook Hux’s offered hand, but then the former Stormtrooper narrowed his eyes, recognition and horror flooding his features. Hux noticed but didn’t comment. Instead, he slowly winked and smirked at the reaction. Rey, of course had no idea who Hux really was, so she just said brightly, “I am Rey, and this is Finn and of course BB-8.”

Hux nodded and released Finn’s hand, saying, “I heard of your little problem. It will cease to be a problem shortly if you have what was requested.”

“BB-8, go ahead and show them the copy,” Rey stated, though she narrowed her eyes at the ginger stripper. Something about him was cunning and ruthless, and it wasn’t hard to tell. However, it wasn’t like they had a choice in this. If either one of them was going to get out of here alive, then they had to play a very dangerous game.

Finn was rigid through the whole exchange, though he was now looking over Kylo, Techie, and Hux with shrewd interest. He definitely was shocked and confused as to why Hux was there of all places. The whole fact that the General was dressed as a hybrid vampire stripper wasn’t the biggest convoluted part of all this. It was the fact that Hux was the one willing to deal with them at all.

The last time he’d been on the Finalizer, both Kylo Ren and the General were verbal and physical adversaries. They had shouting matches that were so bitter and scathing that they bordered on violent at times. Yet, now, here they were acting as if they were in love with eachother. Or at least comrades in every sense of the word. Perhaps it was due to Techie’s involvement? Finn looked over again at the long haired ginger male and wondered what his role was in all of this.

The General and knight seemed to be incredibly protective over him. Even now Hux was reaching over to run a soothing hand over the timid male’s shoulders and back.

BB-8 did a series of boops and beeps before he finally relinquished a so-called copy of the map fragment. Hux took it up, put it in a small digital scanner and noted that indeed, it was what they said it was, before he said seriously to the droid, “I greatly appreciate your understanding, BB-8. With this in our hands, there will be less bloodshed if any.”

BB-8 seemed a bit shocked and if a droid could blush, he probably would have. Hux never had seen any sense in demeaning a droid. They were useful and worked hard if programmed correctly. So, he had always treated them with respect. Kylo and Techie seemed to be of the same frame of mind and also thanked BB-8. 

The droid beeped the equivalent of ‘you’re welcome’, before Finn asked, “So if things are according to the plan, then the staged ‘happening’ will happen shortly?”

“Mmm, yes, within fifteen minutes. If you wish it to be sooner, I will need to know so I can notify my contact,” Hux stated, handing the chip over to Techie for safe keeping. 

Techie carefully hid the chip in his clothing, making sure that Finn and Rey watched the act. When the two turned to look at eachother, Techie then switched the chip with a blank one and put the map in Kylo’s back pocket. Kylo slowly smirked at the sneaky act and carefully put the map fragment copy in a different and safer place on his person.

Slowly Hux swirled his drink in his glass, watching the amber liquid. Though the drink wouldn’t do anything to his system, it was good to make a show of having one. Plus the actual taste of the drink was nice. He leaned in a bit to nuzzle Kylo’s neck and breathe in his scent. Though he had fed on a blood packet that morning, it didn’t help his bloodlust when it came to being so close to Kylo or even Techie.

He was determined once they all got back onboard the Finalizer that he tasted Techie’s blood once in for all. Perhaps he might even be able to taste both his lovers. Of course it all depended on how the next hour or so went. If things went smoothly, then their report to the Supreme Leader would be quick and concise.

Otherwise they might have to postpone their ‘reunion’ session until later. That would definitely be regrettable and irritating. Finn finally shrugged, “It’s better to do as planned. Otherwise our mutual friend might not be ready.”

Hux arched a brow at Kylo and asked, _Han Solo I presume?_

 _Indeed. He is their getaway source, but Lando will be assisting with fending off our TIE fighters,_ Kylo explained, causing Hux to nod imperceptibly.

Another gothic sensual song came on, and Techie had to admit, this one made him almost want to dance – though he had no idea how to.

_‘Now look at you... you’re so beautiful; Make me confused... no you make me crawl; And by the way... it's our time to fall I gotta say... you break my will you take it all; I see your face... it's like a miracle; Need your embrace... but it's impossible I go insane... about the way you walk; Inside my brain... you're naked now, don't wanna talk_

__

_I’m gonna hate today, ‘cause I just love the way; I will be cruel to you, no matter what you do I can’t stand to wait, you always hesitate; This love is wrong I know, but I can’t stop the show’_

Kylo ran his fingers over Techie’s hand and smirked slowly at his Apprentice’s rising blush. Techie ducked his head down and admitted softly, _It’s sexy and it makes me want to move._

 _Kriff, Techie if we were here for pleasure and not the mission, I’d teach you how,_ Hux stated, his mental voice serious. _I’d teach you both, if you were also up to it, Kylo._

 _I wouldn’t mind, Hux,_ Though Kylo had been to clubs when he’d been younger, right after he’d left his uncle’s temple and had become a Knight of Ren, he hadn’t ever been interested in learning to dance or anything like that. Now, however, it interested him quite a bit. If Hux and Techie were with him, then the thought of dancing sounded way more fun and erotic. 

_‘I want to lick your sweat, you turn around instead; I guess I lose my mind, but I still try to find My truth my destiny, the craving’s constantly; I’m just a morbid mind, don’t ever look behind’_

_That music isn’t helping,_ Techie shifted in his chair, feeling his groin tighten in his already constricting pants.

Kylo snorted and promptly picked up Hux and placed him on Techie’s lap. Hux arched a brow, but allowed it, wrapping his arms around his other ‘husband’ and nuzzling into his neck. Techie swallowed heavily and gasped softly as Hux slowly rolled his hips against the Force sensitive’s growing arousal.

 _You aren’t being nice, Hux. You are being naughty,_ Techie complained, though he definitely didn’t mind it one bit.

Hux snorted and stilled his hips, pecking Techie on the lips, _I can’t help it. I haven’t been able to touch you or smell you both for a whole week. It’s been utter torture._

 _Same,_ Techie agreed, reaching up to play a bit with Hux’s hair.

A few more minutes passed and Hux finished his drink, calmly placing the tumbler down onto the bar hop.

Techie suddenly snapped his head around to look at the door, sensing a ripple in the Force. Kylo had felt it too and he suddenly nudged Hux to get up, “The Guavian Death Gang, kriff, I thought I got them all.”  


Hux moved quick and got up, Techie and the others following suit.

“I guess that means we need to act now,” Hux stated, giving the bartender a few credits before he took out his hidden blaster.

“What?! Oh _hell_ ,” Finn reached over and plucked Rey’s hand and tugged her out of the way as the General started shooting at the ceiling, easily busting out the lights overhead and causing screams and mass chaos.

Vampires and various other creatures everywhere around scattered, though when blood was spilled due to various cuts from broken glass and chaos, there became a mobbed frenzy. Hux was counting on that. He put his blaster back in his robes and ushered through the mob of people towards the back door entrance, Kylo and the others following his lead. Techie got shoved to the ground accidentally by Rey, but before they both could get stomped on, Kylo boosted them up with the Force and pushed them in front of him. Finn got lost in the fray, but soon he was able to meet up with the others, BB-8 right behind him.

“So much for no bloodshed!” Rey shrieked angrily as she burst through the back door, ducking when blaster fire singed by her.

“I assure you, it was better than the alternative. The Guavian Death Gang have no idea how vampires work.” Hux stated calmly, looking over Kylo and Techie, noting that they were ok. Techie looked a bit addled, but otherwise he seemed alright. Screams and shots could be heard from the club. Various guards and fighters from Cloud City started surrounding the club at all fronts, aiming their weapons at everyone.

Kylo was looking around, noting the various shuttles starting to land behind the mass of surrounding infantry. “Let the games begin,” Kylo stated, turning to gesture the group to follow his lead. He ran head first into the mass of people, using the Force to throw people out of his way in the process.

Hux was a formidable opponent when he was dressed normally in his General’s uniform. However, in stiletto boots the _dhampyre_ was _lethal_. Whenever he kicked, stomped or hit an opponent, he made sure they stayed down with brutal efficiency. Kylo paused slightly to watch the General take down a Cloud City soldier with a nasty drop kick and smirked with pride. Techie fought bravely as well, though his hand to hand combat was abysmal. He was fast though, and ended up wounding several guards and soldiers in the legs with his blaster, or effectively using his uncanny electrical ‘bomb’ charges to blast opponents out of the way.

Kylo had to figure out how Techie did that. It was a useful technique.

Soon First Order Stormtroopers were in the mix and Rey and Finn started fighting against them as was planned. Rey was abysmal with her blaster, but she was good with knives, managing to wound several troopers. Finn’s aim was spot on as he shot several Stormtroopers, especially ones who recognized him and went right after him.

Techie and Hux stuck close to Kylo and all three had their hands full fighting against the Cloud City soldiers and security. With the influx of Stormtroopers, it didn’t take long for BB-8 to be captured. However, Rey managed to get close enough to Kylo and use the Force somehow to steal Techie’s lightsaber. She then whipped it around and slashed a surprised Kylo across the face and down his shoulder. Kylo let out a roar of pain and fell to the ground. Granted, he knew that it was an effective way to allow for the others to escape in a clean getaway for the mock capture to work, but that had hurt! He tried getting up, but the pain searing through his face and shoulder was too great.

And then Techie was screaming, his hand using the Force to pull Kylo’s lightsaber into his waiting hand. With a loud cry, his Apprentice engaged the lightsaber and instantly went for Rey, his movements rushed and desperate, but quicker than Kylo could keep track of. Finn went to assist Rey, and Hux stopped him easily by punching the man hard in the face, knocking the Stormtrooper to the ground in a crumpled heep. Hux’s red fiery eyes glittered briefly before they went back to normal.

Stormtroopers apprehended BB-8 as was planned, but Hux was debating whether or not he should just kill the traitor at his feet. Finn was knocked out cold. Hux turned to look at Kylo and spotted him trying to get up. That was the deciding factor, and he turned as the Millennium Falcon came into view. He backed away as Chewie shot down some fire, hitting near his feet.

Hux scowled coldly at the great hated piece of junk freighter before he headed over to Kylo to check on him. The knight let out a pained gasp as Hux helped him stand. “Kriff, that fucking hurts.”

“It looks it, karking hell, how _dare_ the scavenger mark you thus!” Hux growled, looking at the nasty cauterized lightsaber wound. “The only ones who are allowed to mark you are myself and Techie. I’ll kill her. I swear I will _destroy_ her. But **slowly**. She will die excruciatingly slow.”

“I think Techie has that covered, but you are welcome to wait in line,” Kylo huffed out a pained laugh, nearly doubling over in more pain at the act. Absently without looking, Hux used his blaster to hit a Cloud City infantryman trying to sneak up on them.

“Really?” Hux turned and looked over at Techie, who was in the process of fighting Rey with Kylo’s lightsaber.

“Well, I suppose I will have to wait, then,” Hux mused softly, pride and interest taking hold of him as he watched Techie battle the scavenger with every ounce that he had.

Techie used both hands to slam the cross guard lightsaber across Kylo’s former blue lightsaber, sending sparks and electricity hissing all over the place. The light was almost blinding with how vibrant the two lightsabers crossed one another. Rey shrieked and was on the defensive against the angry Force sensitive, but soon she seemed to get her bearings and started hitting back with earnest, the blue lightsaber in her hands arching through the air to meet Techie’s downward strokes.

“How dare you hurt him like that! How dare you hurt one of my Masters!” Techie roared angrily, slashing upwards hard, the force of it nearly disarming Rey.

Rey grit out, “I thought he was your husband!”

“Same difference, bitch!” Techie snarled, swinging around to go in for another hit.

“There’s that filthy mouth of his,” Hux mused, which caused Kylo to snort in pained mirth.

Several Stormtroopers stopped what they were doing to watch, until Mitaka arrived on the scene and started barking orders, modeling after Hux. Hux was so proud, he nearly felt sentimental.

Kylo huffed out a hiss and spotted Han Solo managing to drag Finn into the Millennium Falcon with Chewie’s help. The two caught eyes and though Han looked a bit worried, he smirked slightly when his son nodded curtly, as if to say, ‘this is it’. Han turned and hollered at Rey, nearly getting shot by a Stormtrooper in the process.

Lando came to Han’s rescue then, fighting off Stormtroopers and TIE fighters with other small fighters. They weren’t equipped or as fast as TIE fighters or X-wings but they still did a bunch of damage.

Hux didn’t want to leave Techie to the fighting, and luckily he didn’t have to. Rey let out another fierce shriek before she ran towards the Millennium Falcon away from Techie. With a roar of rage, Techie reached out with the Force and sent a huge blast of electricity and white light at the retreating scavenger girl. The blast caused Rey to be knocked off her feet, but also propelled her to land near the ramp of the Falcon ironically. Han let out a soft chuckle in sardonic amusement before he helped her up and into the freighter.

Techie let out a deep breath, cross guard lightsaber still crackling in his hands before he promptly crumpled to the ground. Before he hit the ground in a face plant, Kylo reached out with the Force and stopped his gravity free fall. Though weakened, Kylo still had enough grip on the Force to keep his Apprentice steady until Hux and the knight got to him. Hux narrowed his eyes at Kylo as the knight staggered and the ginger finally gestured for him to get into his Upsilon shuttle. When Kylo was about ready to argue, Hux promptly reached down and hoisted Techie up into his arms with an ease that was as unnerving as it was shocking.“Hux…..” That display was not going to be a good idea if the Supreme Leader ever found out about it.

“I know. You were going to wipe their minds anyways, so I figured it didn’t matter,” Hux stated as he carried Techie on board the shuttle, gently setting him down on a bunk to the side of the cargo hold.

“Do you have any idea how difficult memory control is?” Kylo complained softly, ignoring the strange glances he was getting as he joined them. Apparently people were still not used to seeing his face, even without it damaged as it was now.

Techie let out a soft moan, but then sighed as Kylo gently tugged his still live and spitting lightsaber out of the male’s iron grip. Disengaging the weapon and clipping it to his belt, Kylo checked over his Apprentice before he even let the medical team take a look at his own face and shoulder wound. He gently ran his fingers through Techie’s hair as the man’s tired bionic gaze met his.

“I fought her, Master. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I fought her,” Techie whispered shakily.

“Yes you did, Techie. Yes you did,” Kylo murmured before he leaned down and kissed Techie, ignoring the pain in the right side of his face or the ache in his shoulder where the girl had maimed him. “You did admirably for your first lightsaber battle, Techie. You trusted the Force and didn’t think of it. You just acted, and that was incredible for your first try.”

Techie leaned into the kiss before he weakly reached up and touched his Master’s left cheek, scowling at the wound on his right. “She marked you. I could have killed her, Master.”

“I know, Techie,” Kylo soothed.

“I should have done so,” Techie said seriously, and Kylo knew that the next time Rey and his Apprentice met on the battlefield, the long haired ginger would not show any mercy. Not again.

Rey had gotten one freebee.

Once they all rested, Kylo was going to ensure that Techie and Hux picked up their training with more intent and fervor than ever before. He was not going to allow something like this to happen again. Rey could have killed him, and where would that have left Hux or Techie? He had let himself get too soft. Too dependent on the plan, not once even thinking that Rey would attack them like that.

Or that she would know _how_ to.

Apparently Rey knew more about her awakening powers than they could ever have foreseen.

Kylo and his lovers were not going to make the same mistake again. They would allow BB-8 to be released if and when the Resistance came after him, but that was all that they would do. And if Rey and the others thought they would be able to get him back easily, then they were gravely mistaken.

Hux then finally was able to tug Kylo over to sit down and let the medical people swarm over him.

Mitaka quickly finished up the operations on Cloud City and left with minimal Stormtrooper casualties. Because the plan had been done successfully – despite the Guavian Death Gang showing up and nearly ruining everything, there had been only a few casualties on both sides. Cloud City would have strained relations with the First Order, but it wasn’t like that wasn’t the case before this happened.

“It’s pretty deep, sir,” The medic was telling Kylo, though he didn’t seem to care. Hux, however, rolled his eyes and stated, “Just fix it the best you can. I am sure Kylo won’t mind a few scars.”

Kylo snorted, but then looked over at the General, watching him blatantly as the man started changing out of his stripper clothes and tugging on his normal attire. Apparently Hux was wasting no time, though after feeling Kylo’s eyes on his person, the _dhampyre_ decided against changing the underwear. There was something incredibly erotic knowing that Kylo knew he had kinky lace underwear on beneath his General’s uniform.

Kylo swallowed a bit, and watched before the General sat down next to Techie. The knight was stitched up the best that the medic could shortly thereafter. The medic then went over and checked on Techie. “Force drained. He will be fine after several hours of sleep,” Kylo commented, but allowed the medic to check him over regardless.

Despite how sweaty and dirty the three of them had gotten during their battle, Hux tugged off Techie’s boots and started rubbing his feet in a soothing and careful massage. Techie relaxed further and rested his eyes, letting sleep swallow him up. Hux was there. Kylo was there. So was the droid - even if originally BB-8 was supposed to be rescued once aboard the Finalizer. At least they had the map fragment.

The mission was a success.

That was enough for Techie.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Once back on the Finalizer, Kylo was able to reach out and modify the Stormtroopers’ memories so that Hux’s true nature was still a mystery. It was simple, yet effective, though with how fatigued Kylo was, it was a wonder that he didn’t pass out from doing mind modification.

While Kylo was working his magic, Hux had gone unseen with BB-8 over to one of the escape pods, and though he really, really didn't want to do this, the General went ahead and let the droid leave. However, while BB-8 was getting settled, Hux reached over and patted the droid on the head, easily slipping a small micro-tracker under one of the panels. The tracker probably would be found soon enough, removed, and disabled, but Hux couldn't help trying. Plus, if it wasn't found, then the droid would lead the First Order to the Resistance's home base.

Hux watched the escape pod detach and head towards coordinates on the back side of Bespin where Han Solo would be waiting for him. He then nodded to one of the security cameras, letting Mitaka know that their bargain had been dealt with. The brief alliance between the Resistance and the First Order was now null and void completely. Mitaka easily wiped all signs of the droid's departure from the surveillance systems from the bridge. Though his technique was not as refined as Techie's, Mitaka still knew a thing or two about security. He was, afterall once a technician.

Supreme Leader Snoke was then briefed by Hux, since Kylo was wounded and Techie was in no way shape or form able to communicate with anyone. The fact that Hux had still had glitter on his cheeks and makeup on his eyes while briefing Snoke amused Kylo to no end. But, Hux had taken it in stride to the best of his ability and had made sure the report was quick and to the point.

The Supreme Leader hadn’t been that pleased about the use of Stormtroopers on Cloud City without his permission, but when Hux had explained everything in detail (barring the bond that he shared with Kylo and Techie and of course his own true nature), Snoke had been appeased. His mood had lifted even more when the news that not only was the droid apprehended but also the map fragment.

Snoke had prodded Hux’s mind, but the ginger had been well prepared for it.

The Supreme Leader had looked into his mind and after scouring a few areas seemed pleased that the Resistance had no hope of finding Skywalker now.

Hux was able to leave relatively unscathed besides a nasty migraine, orders to both rest and afterwards to concentrate on getting the droid to either talk or be reprogrammed. That would be an easy thing to cover up. The droid would be deemed as "unresponsive and destroyed" to ensure that the Supreme Leader did not find out the truth. The map fragment was now in the process of being deciphered. It would take some time since the Resistance had made sure to code all the details very carefully. Techie had been smart in making sure the fragment had been given to Kylo, for when Rey had accidentally knocked him over in the club, she had used the opportunity to her advantage. The fake fragment had been stolen from him.

For now, the fact that Han Solo had the original map fragment and now the droid was hidden from Snoke’s knowledge.

\----------------------------------------------------

Kylo, of course was ordered to give his own report, which would be way more extensive than Hux’s. Still, the knight was prepared for it and would give it as soon as he got the ok from the medic to go to the Supreme Leader.

However, he was not prepared for the searing pain of the Supreme Leader extracting the information forcibly from him not even a few minutes after Hux had briefed him. Apparently Snoke was impatient and not wanting to wait any longer. Kylo nearly screamed out in pain as Snoke ripped through his mind, breaking through the knight’s defenses by using their twisted and depraved Master and Apprentice bond. Within seconds Kylo had recovered enough to give his Master what he wanted, while still protecting his bond with Hux and everything else that they were keeping from Snoke.

Snoke lessened his assault when he found Kylo’s account to be very similar to Hux’s when it came to the General’s involvement. He also seemed uncannily gentle when he viewed the fake account of what had happened with Han Solo and the others. The fact that Kylo and Techie had tried to win over Rey and Finn was commendable, the Supreme Leader had to admit. However, he wasn’t too pleased that Kylo had been taken by surprise and that Techie had failed in killing the girl.

He was appeased when he saw Kylo’s memory of the fight itself.

 _Be thankful that your mission went as well as it did. If you had failed, I cannot express enough how much pain you would be in right now. Or the lack there of,_ Snoke hissed into his mind before leaving his Apprentice convulsing almost in the med bay.

“Yes, Master,” Kylo rasped hoarsely.

After long minutes had passed and the Supreme Leader hadn’t returned to do more damage, Kylo opened up his shields, but carefully, allowing Techie and Hux to feel his pain, but also his resolve. The Supreme Leader had always been a harsh Master, but never had he actually gone and threatened his life like that. Regardless, that threat wasn’t what caused Kylo to feel a deep pit of dread and fear in his stomach. It was the fact that the Supreme Leader had so easily ripped through his mind because of their fragmented bond. If Snoke could do that to him, then he could hurt Techie just as bad through it too. And Hux as well. That posed a very big problem.

Techie was the first to come around, having woke up as he felt the nasty shock of pain and Kylo slamming his mental walls up hard as the Supreme Leader had begun his assault on the knight. He was now crawling into Kylo’s hospital bed, not liking that he was there or that his Master was there, but understanding the need for the doctors to keep watch over them both at least for a few hours.

He burrowed his face into Kylo’s trembling chest, offering comfort where he could, breathing in his familiar scent. Kylo shakily stroked his Apprentice’s spine, panting softly. There were some tears leaking from his eyes, and Kylo wouldn’t have noticed if not for the fact that some of the liquid was getting into his recently bacta treated wound. It stung horribly, but the pain grounded him.

It wasn’t long before Hux arrived, exhausted, but less so than the other two. He surveyed his two lovers with determined and worried ice blue eyes before advancing into the room. He sat down on an adjacent nearby bed and reached over to grab ahold of Kylo’s hand. If someone would have told him three weeks prior that he’d be sitting at Lord Kylo Ren’s hospital bed holding his hand and offering comfort, he would have laughed in their faces. So much had changed since then.

Kylo squeezed the hand in thanks, though he still trembled, rage and pain flooding through him like a wild and fierce tempest.

It was then that the three decided on one mutual agreement: Snoke’s time in the universe was ticking down. Eventually, they would need to dispose of the Supreme Leader.

It wasn’t necessarily because Kylo had been practically mind raped, or the fact that Hux had been as well. It was all due to the fact that their bond – which was not tainted or tormented, was more important than Snoke, or anyone else in the universe in their opinion. All three now cared deeply about eachother and they were actually fine with that. Eventually, the three would be found out by Snoke. And before that happened, or something occurred to cause Snoke to hurt either one of them again, it would be best to dispose of the beast if possible.

They would just have to figure out a way to actually do it.

In that med bay, at that moment, a plot started to form.

A mutiny, to not only overthrow the Supreme Leader, but to also end his very existence was in the making. At this point it didn’t matter what happened afterwards, or who would take the Supreme Leader’s place. All that mattered was that they were safe and ruling together jointly. If they gave themselves different titles, that also didn’t matter. All they wanted was to be safe. And to do that was to obliterate the Supreme Leader. That would be the first step.

Skywalker, the Resistance, everything else was secondary in importance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Mind Rape between Kylo and Snoke. It's briefly mentioned in the last few paragraphs of the chapter. Basically Snoke decides he wants to know all of the details of the escape, etc from Kylo asap and since Kylo is still in medbay, he decides to go ahead and rip the information out of him. Otherwise no other triggers.
> 
> So yea, Stripper Hux for the win! And of course bamf!saber!tech makes an appearance! But ugh, Snoke just has to be a kill joy doesn't he? Next chapter should be up next weekend sometime. Hope you all have a nice weekend!
> 
> Links to various songs that had their lyrics mentioned in above chapter are listed below:
> 
>  
> 
> [Tonight by Skold (The Birthday Massacre remix)](https://youtu.be/LGAOqKq4axA)
> 
>  
> 
> [Oh My Goth! by Razed in Black ](https://youtu.be/yDNkjWv-Lhw)
> 
>  
> 
> [The Bondage Song by London After Midnight ](https://youtu.be/hyTZagNpzE0)
> 
>  
> 
> [Morbid Mind by Chrom ](https://youtu.be/tLX90pprHbU)


	13. Let's Get Physical

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think there is much in the way of triggers in this chapter except for of course Techie's past and mentions of past burns, whips, the like. Otherwise, I think it's good to go. Hope you all enjoy! Thank you so much to those that have commented and kudo'd thus far (or even are reading this). It is definitely encouraging to me and I appreciate it greatly.

### Chapter 13: Let’s get Physical

Due to the stress of what had happened and the impending need to form a plan to take down Snoke, Hux did not feed on Techie that night, nor thereafter for some time. While resting, the three plotted, and bided their time. Once the triad of lovers was ready to start training again, they began in earnest, all the while working towards several goals leading up to a single massive objective.

Techie started training with Kylo on athletics of the Force. Though the long haired ginger absolutely hated any kind of sport known to man or creature, he worked diligently without complaint for the most part. He worked hard in building up his stamina, and though his muscles would never really be bulked out the way Kylo’s were, the diet regimen his Master had put him on along with the extensive exercise routine caused him to be more lithe, leaner, and wickedly fast.

Techie had always been good at escaping, especially when it came to physically running, but Kylo continuously pushed him to his limits, even as the knight pushed himself as well. The Supreme Leader was a cunning and very ruthless creature, so they planned for several outcomes and scenarios. Hux continued his work on his mental defenses as did Techie, but every once in a while he would join them for physical defense lessons as well. He even lent a hand in aiding Techie and Kylo on certain battle styles and techniques he had learned at the Academy. Though Hux wasn’t often out on the battlefields like Kylo was, he still had experience. Techie soaked up the knowledge like a sponge, and even Kylo started coming around to some of Hux’s ideas and suggestions.

The three of them had to work together in order for this master plan to succeed. Though there were rough patches in their growing relationship, they continued striving, working hard, exhausting their minds and their bodies at all times.

When Techie was able to jump onto the upper level of the Ren Corridor’s quarters without falling flat on his face, tripping and falling backward, or grappling with the edging, Kylo decided to give him a reward.

Though Snoke had been told the fake story of having BB-8 deemed as a dead end and being wiped clean as a result, it was imperative to keep up appearances. And Kylo knew as well as Hux that Techie liked droids. In fact, the former Technician was good at building small ones of his own - though he didn’t have much time to enjoy his hobby since becoming a Knight of Ren Apprentice. One day while looking over at Techie’s small wire figures placed all over the ginger’s rooms, Kylo had gotten an idea.

Of course, Kylo was hard pressed keeping the secret present from Techie’s mind and sneaky puzzle solving skills. Hux didn’t have as much of a problem for he wasn’t with Techie day in and day out like Kylo, despite being linked so much as the three were. 

Kylo’s efforts to keep the secret hidden from Techie proved quite effective, for once the long haired ginger hopped down from the second story quarters of the Ren Corridor, beaming so much his nose was crinkled, the knight was finally able to give him the gift. The gift was actually one of Kylo’s own BB unit modified designs. 

Techie blinked as he heard a soft whirring on the squeaky clean black tiled surfaces of the Ren Corridor and his eyes whirred as he turned to see just what was coming towards them. Hux followed the BB unit, smirking slightly when Techie looked puzzled. The BB unit was of the same model as BB-8, however it was in First Order colors of black and silver with a hint of blue circuitry. 

“Hux, you’ve acquired a droid?” Techie asked, arching a brow.

Hux shook his head no, and his smirk turned into a full grin as Kylo came to stand behind his puzzled lover. He leaned in to nuzzle the other male’s neck, pressing a slight kiss on the skin once he’d nosed away Techie’s hair. Pulling away, the knight murmured, “The droid isn’t mine, nor is it Hux’s. He’s _yours_.”

Techie’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline and he craned his neck to look from Kylo to Hux before swallowing incredulously. “Really? But, wh-why?”

Hux folded his arms across his chest and listened patiently as Kylo began to explain, “Is it not obvious, Techie? My Apprentice, sometimes one needs to feel like they’ve accomplished something. Not just that, but they also need to feel cherished, proud, and encouraged. Therefore, as a reward for all the hard work you have put into your training these past few weeks, I am giving you BB-101-X. There are very few enhanced BB models that have been developed under my design, therefore I don’t think I have to stress at you treating him fairly and justly. He is your responsibility now.”

Techie breathed out a gasp and turned to look at the droid, who suddenly got a little shy and moved around to hide behind Kylo’s legs unsuccessfully. “His temperament is a bit timid but I think he’ll be of good service to you, Techie,” Hux advised with a smug grin.

Though Kylo had devised of the plan to get one of the first model of enhanced BB units for Techie, it was Hux who was able to make it happen. Techie was getting one of the first droids of the limited batch Kylo had started developing two years ago. This droid had a bit of a softer nature than the rest of his ‘brothers and sisters’ and more well suited to Techie. Hux had picked the unit out himself from the assembly line and then had brought him by Kylo’s attention.

Although Kylo had trusted Hux’s judgement, it still pleased him that the General had wanted him to look the unit over and give his own assessment. 

Techie knelt down onto one knee so he was eye level with the timid droid and smiled gently, “Hi there. BB-101-X. I’m Apprentice Willtech Ren, but you can call me Techie.”

The droid peeked around Kylo’s legs and bwooped a bit nervously before Techie coaxed him out with a bigger smile. 

Kylo shared a pleased smirk with Hux as they watched their lover talk to his new servant and future friend.

BEX, as the droid was fondly nicknamed, became a good companion for Techie. Though, the droid tended to pick up on Techie’s sense of humor and snark. He even picked up a bunch of other attitude eccentricities from Hux and Kylo whenever they were around while the droid was still in active mode. Techie had never owned a droid before though he’d often tried building some in his limited spare time once he got his Technician position on the Finalizer. So, he was fascinated and still amazed by the droid - and the fact that he now OWNED said droid. One of Kylo’s own enhanced model designs as well. 

The droid was an updated form of the regular BB unit series that came with extra features, including plasma charges instead of electrical surges, removable exterior durasteel plates that could be popped out and slammed into an enemy, as well as a acid serum that could be secreted just in case the droid got bolted down by something or captured. 

BEX was also highly advanced when it came to updated star charts, First Order network linking, and was fluent in hundreds of languages, and even knew how to speak them outside of binary. 

It made it easier talking with Techie once the droid got used to being around his new Master. But, he was always respectful to Hux and Kylo and would slip back into binary whenever they were around. Techie wasn’t sure why BEX didn’t like speaking Basic in front of his two lovers, but he wasn’t going to question it. Once Supreme Leader Snoke had been advised that the former so called BB-8 was now BB-101-X and a personal droid for Techie, he had lost complete interest, as what was intended.

A month passed, and with it, the First Order got ever closer and closer to deciphering the map fragment. During that time frame the ever expanding order took over smaller communities and concentrated on finishing up Starkiller base. Their size was growing rapidly. Soon, they would half consumed and conquered a fourth if not half of the outer Rim worlds and systems.

It was when the three moved to Starkiller base to start overseeing the last three weeks or so of finalizing tests and getting the weapon fully operational that Hux fed for the first time from Techie.

Techie was blossoming into his own, and his personality was flourishing, although Hux and Kylo constantly in the background of his thoughts tended to rub off on him and he on them. He was also getting more comfortable in his own skin, however he still had yet to bare himself completely to his lovers. Frankly, due to how hard they all worked themselves into the ground every day, there was a rare time that any of the triad wanted something more than a hot shower, a hot meal, and a warm embrace. Now, that they were moving completely to Starkiller base for the time being, they had some time to spare.

It was to be the home base of operations for the First Order once it was finally completely operational. The fleet was not far away, the Supremacy hovering over the massive frozen planetary weapon like an ever watchful proud parent. However, Snoke wasn’t a fool and often took the ship elsewhere in the Unknown regions, not wanting to stay idle for very long, leaving a few flagships including the Finalizer to shadow over the great weapon of power.

Captain Phasma was assisting in the move, though her most trusted troops were already on Starkiller base. The Knights of Ren had been called in from various missions elsewhere in the galaxy for a scheduled annual meeting that was also to be on the frozen planet. The meeting would take place right before Starkiller’s first firing ceremony went underway.

Techie whispered, “Do you think that I will need to display what I have learned in my training once they are here, Master?”

The two were currently heading to Hux’s quarters since theirs were still in the process of getting ready. It would be another day or two before the knights were due to start arriving, so the three had a small window of possibly a night or two before they wouldn’t have much privacy outside of their bond linked thoughts. The bond itself was ever growing, though as each day passed it was getting harder and harder not to want to complete it entirely. Hux was ready for it, and Kylo supposed he was too if he truly had a moment to think about it. But, Techie wasn’t there just yet, and Kylo and Hux were fine with that.

Eventually the bond would be fulfilled and settled.

After that point, they would be stronger than ever. They would need to plan this as well very carefully, for once the bond fully formed, then the Supreme Leader’s tie to Kylo would possibly be severed completely. Due to this possibility, though minor, it would be best to wait until the last possible night before they acted on their plan to overthrow and assassinate Snoke. Since the warped bond between Snoke and his Apprentice was weakening every day but slowly, Kylo was sure that the time between the bonding night and when they needed to kill Snoke would be a window of hours, instead of seconds if it did in fact break.

Hux, of course, came up with a few backup plans just in case Snoke was instantly aware of their treachery.

Kylo turned to look at his Apprentice and said through his helmet’s modulator, “I do not believe so, but it would be best to be prepared regardless. Either way they will be no doubt curious about you, considering you are my first Apprentice I have taken on since becoming the Master of the Knights.”

“Understood, Master,” Techie stated, keeping in step with the quick strides of the knight, his long legs much more attuned and fit for the role than a month prior. The ginger was also getting used to being watched or looked at by personnel and civilians alike on board the Finalizer as well as Starkiller base.

His new clothes had come in not even a day after they had returned to the Finalizer a month prior after his first mission with his Master. What he wore was similar to his Master’s Knight of Ren clothing, but not a carbon copy. His black pants were looser, but snug around the waist and made of thicker material for insulation purposes, though they were still light enough to keep Techie cool when he sweated or was in an unfavorable overheated environment. The pants had a high waist with a thick belt, and his tunic was adjustable over his shoulders and chest, being sleeveless much like the borrowed tunic of Apprentice Ferris Ren’s he’d used in the past.

The tunic almost looked like something he’d find on an ancient holo movie or electronic game from Earth’s past – Mortal Kombat perhaps – though instead of Sub Zero’s blue tunic, Techie’s was black. The undershirt was long sleeved and form fitting, though instead of a turtle neck as in his former borrowed clothing, it was now a non-constricting v-neck. His black gloves attached snuggly to black wrist guards that went up to his elbows, and thick, knee high boots slid easily under his loose pant legs. The outer robes he wore was about the only thing that was practically identical to his Master’s, and Techie had flushed scarlet when he’d seen the proud and lustful look both Kylo and Hux had given him when they’d first seen him wearing it.

Although Techie declined to wear a cowl or a helmet like his Master, he did wear a breathalyzer lower half mask, and he had a long hooded, flowing cape that fell all the way down his spine to caress the backs of his lower calf muscles.

When he was fully garbed, Techie looked formidable, and his bionic blue gaze had grown to be narrowed and steely whenever he was around other people not Kylo or Hux, especially if there was a crowd surrounding him. Though he didn’t stray away from his Master’s side very often, Techie still trained with Hux on the bridge from time to time, and if his other Master was unavailable, then he kept Captain Phasma company.

He worked hard on his mental capabilities, and it was now almost second nature to him to meditate right before bed before his shower or right when he got up in the morning. Sometimes he would do both if the physical workout lessons were on a down day to give his muscles rest. Kylo was relentless in his teachings, but he was not cruel. He knew from experience that in order for Techie’s muscles to tone and form correctly, then he needed to rest them at least once a week. When Techie seemed to get more irritable, cranky, or tired than usual, Kylo would give his Apprentice a mental break as well.

Regardless of the fact that Techie had initially hated meditating, he now relished the time spent doing so to give his mind a breather.

It was now easy for Techie to touch his inner core and manipulate the Force to his needs. Telekinesis was a struggle for Techie unless he was frightened out of his mind or pissed off. But, as his Master kept telling him, learning how to manipulate the Force wasn’t as easy as it looked. Kylo, in fact was impressed with Techie’s progress. Yes, the former technician was struggling hard when it came to certain things, but he was succeeding almost effortlessly in others. Part of that reason was due to their strengthening bond, though Kylo also understood that it was also because of Techie’s sheer will to learn.

Hux was also succeeding pretty well in his mental capabilities, if not as much on the physical side. Hux could take care of himself physically, especially due to his _dhampyre_ nature and he was always a willing teacher when he felt Techie or Kylo might need some pointers. Hux often was too busy to go in depth training as far as Techie and Kylo, but that was ok. He did what he could, and he even went as far to find time to practice during the time that was best reserved for resting or sleeping. Both Kylo and Techie didn’t like that their acerbic genius lover wasn’t resting as much as he should, but they also knew that that was just the way Hux was.

Every so often however, Kylo or Techie would coerce him into relaxing.

And since they didn’t do it all the time, Hux knew that when they did persuade him to rest, that it was because yes, he actually did need the sleep. And so he would grouse about it a bit, but relent far easier than in the beginning days of their relationship.

Since Hux and Techie were both exceeding Kylo’s expectations for the most part, he had decided to move up a different form of training for the both of them. He just hoped that he could get at least one full day of their lightsaber training in before the first of the knights arrived. That way, Hux would be able to train on his own until Kylo was able to explain their bond to the knights. Though formidable in their own right, the knights were loyal to Kylo more so than they were loyal to the Supreme Leader.

Kylo knew each and every one of their goals, their ambitions, and their hearts.

It would be a bit of a tough pill to swallow for some of his knights and their Apprentices, but they would get used to it eventually. They would have to.

Kylo would not tolerate putting Hux and Techie in more danger than they already were. His knights would see and understand. If they did not, then he would have to destroy them.

And Kylo had already given up so much for the dark side of the Force. He didn’t want to give up more just because he wanted to keep his lovers safe. But, he would do what was necessary if it came to it.

So far, the Resistance was being illusive and quiet. Kylo knew it was only a matter of time before the map was deciphered. Either that or the First Order would find out where the Resistance base was located at. So far the tracker that Hux had put on BB-8 was proving fruitless, though it had not been turned off. So, either the droid was running around elsewhere looking for bantha knew what, or the Resistance was using the tracker to put them all on a wild goose chase. Regardless of either action, it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Soon, Starkiller base would be fully operational.

Soon, everything would fall into place.

“Have you come to a decision on the hilt and power housing?” Kylo asked Techie, causing his Apprentice to sigh deeply.

Ever since Techie’s first mission, the ginger had been a bit bothered by the fact that he’d been unable to keep Kylo’s former lightsaber, so the knight had patiently taught both Techie and Hux by extension on how to make their own. Hux had filed the operations in the back of his mind, and though he hadn’t had the time to work on one of his own, he had been extremely interested in the process. So much so, he had Techie go over his work in progress once the ginger had started on his a week prior. It was still in the very beginning stages of the design. Techie was undecided on the actual format of the hilt. He had liked Kylo’s cross guard, but it just didn’t feel right.

He had also liked Kylo’s first lightsaber.

But even that lightsaber had felt too strange in his hands.

“I am still at a loss, Master. Every design you have helped me shape fails to feel correct to me,” Techie stated with a scowl. Since they were still in the company of others, Techie kept his tone professional and to the point, though he often came across as sounding like a mix between Kylo and Hux – just sassier.

In fact, most people aboard the Finalizer that had gotten used to his presence had started calling him the doe eyed Kylux, but then he had turned around and pointedly stated that his name was Willtech, so if they had to nickname him something after Hux and Kylo, then they might as well call him the doe eyed Kyluxtech.

Phasma had nearly barked out a laugh that surely would have shocked everyone on the entire bridge. So, instead, she had smirked behind her helmet and stated calmly, “How about the Spicy Ginger Kyluxie? Since you usually go by Techie to those who know you?”

So now he had a new nickname. The Stormtroopers gave all their superiors nicknames as a joke, considering troopers of lower ranks weren’t necessarily given actual names. Hux’s nickname was General Gives No Fux. Kylo’s used to be Lord Crylo Ren, but then due to the fact that the knight was more in control of his emotions nowadays, they had switched it to Lord Mother Ren.

When Kylo had found that out, he had nearly sprayed Hux with his drink in shock and mortification. The two had met up in the Ren Corridor for lunch on the Finalizer to discuss ship maintenance (and have an impromptu Hux feeding session) when they had heard the terms from Phasma through their bond with Techie. Having eaten earlier, Techie had worked on his mental powers and was on the bridge with Phasma for a bit before his Masters joined them. Techie had nearly burst out laughing at the information, and had been very, very thankful for the breathalyzer he was using.

Even Hux felt like snorting in amusement. Kylo had been drinking one of his blue smoothies, finishing it up before donning his helmet. The resulting coughing fit caused Hux to roll his eyes fondly and pat the poor Force user on the back to help him out.

Kylo still didn’t get why the whole kriffing ship thought he was anything like a _mother_. Still, at least it wasn’t anything to do with crying this time. So he had supposed that was better.

Kylo nodded slowly, “All of my knights and their Apprentices will have their lightsabers with them while they are here. Although I will be training you tomorrow morning with some practice sabers of various hilts and styles, if you wish it, I can have the others give you a demonstration if you have not come to a decision by the time they arrive.”

“Understood, Master,” Techie said softly, his voice slightly distorted by his breathalyzer.

He was still getting used to that.

The two arrived at the General’s quarters shortly after, BEX in tow, and their conversation ceased for the moment. Kylo could have used the Force to open the _dhampyre’s_ door, but the knight was feeling polite, so he just put in his access code and entered with Techie smirking slightly and following behind him. Hux was currently just coming out of the refresher and pretended to look surprised. “I am impressed. You actually used your access code, R-Kylo.”

Hux was actively trying to use the knight’s first name, for the specific reason that there would be way too many ‘Rens’ to keep track of once the knights started arriving in the next few days. Kylo huffed softly in amusement and tugged off his helmet with ease, setting it down on the side table near the door. Though not much different from Hux’s quarters on the Finalizer besides the increase of space, both Kylo and Techie looked around curiously. BEX came in and instantly went over to the big windows, beeping in awe.

This was the first time they’d been in Hux’s quarters now that they were completely finished. Hux previously had been staying in a makeshift bunker while his quarters were being built whenever he was requested to stay overnight on the base. Now that the quarters were complete, and Millicent had been settled into the new space, Hux felt much better.

The bunker might have served him well in the past, but it had been rather cramped. Hux wasn’t really one to get claustrophobic, but he had breathed easier with the extra space that his new quarters provided. Plus, the extra space gave all three of them nice areas to spread out and get comfortable, and there was even a droid power station for BEX to power down when he felt the need to recharge or unwind as well. Or, if needed, Techie and Kylo could meditate properly without having to worry about Hux accidentally tripping over them if he wasn’t joining them in their resting mental states.

Since BEX already were used to the three being a covert relationship, he hadn’t commented a bit at all besides a few wise crack beeps whenever the lovers were in their private quarters. BEX figured it really was none of his business what the three were up to when it came to their love life. Plus, Techie had managed to convince the droid into thinking that their relationship was a huge secret and that if word got out about their love, Snoke would have them tortured and killed – which of course would not benefit BEX’s situation one bit.

That actually hadn’t been far from the truth.

Kylo tugged Hux into his arms for a kiss. “We missed you,” He murmured softly, as he pulled away to look at Hux in the eye. Techie tugged off his cape and hung it up, his breathalyzer following soon after.

BEX took this as his cue to go power down for the night. He rolled past Techie and headed into a back room, farthest away from the bedroom and hooked himself up to rest. Techie watched him go with a small fond smile. He really, really was starting to like that droid.

The General narrowed his eyes a bit, but then protested, “It’s only been four hours since I last saw you both during our afternoon mental session.”

“Still missed you,” Techie admitted, coming up from behind Hux to wrap his arms around the General’s middle. Resting his chin on Hux’s shoulder, the long haired ginger yawned tiredly and asked, “You still ok with feeding from me tonight?”

Hux snickered slightly and craned his head around so he could peck the other ginger on the lips. “Yes, are you? Or do you want to wait for me to ravish you later?”

“I’ve waited long enough, Hux,” Techie stated firmly, squeezing Hux’s middle a bit more before he released his lover so he could finish tugging off his outer robes and folding them neatly on one of Hux’s comfortable looking ice blue chairs. “Ice blue?” Techie asked, arching a brow at the sofa and chair set of matching pale blues.

“I figured it was time to have a bit of color other than red or shades of nothing but black and greys in my chambers. At least here. The Finalizer will stay the way it is, but this set is pleasing to the eyes and is comfortable. Well enough to have a few perks in my home away from home,” Hux explained.

“They do look comfortable,” Kylo observed, reaching down to push on the cushions a bit with his gloved hands. “Less firm than the ones on the Finalizer.”

“I figure we all can afford a bit of luxury now and then. Depending on how our plans play out, we might be using Starkiller base for the foreseeable future. I thought it might be perfectly fine to splurge a bit in my stipend savings,” Hux hardly bought anything when it came to frivolous luxuries unless it was caf or liquor. However, since he stopped taking his suppressant almost a month and a half prior, nothing could satisfy him now unless it was coming from Kylo’s veins. Soon, his horizons would shift to also include Techie’s taste as well. He had barely tasted a hint of the long haired ginger’s blood, and it had been incredibly delicious.

He was definitely looking forward to tonight.

He would be careful and gentle as possible, knowing that although Techie was firm in their collective decision, the other ginger might still be a tad nervous.

Kylo undressed, folding his clothing and placing it next to Techie’s robes. He watched as Techie shyly started taking off his belt, gloves, wrist guards and tunic. Hux watched, his throat swallowing with an audible click, both lust and hunger firing up in his veins. Techie smelled a bit unsure, but overpowering need, want, and desire overshadowed what little apprehensions he still had for tonight. Hux and Kylo had seen Techie’s shoulders, back and full arms, the skin marred with scars from his past. They had yet to see his chest, or any other part of him below the belt. Techie had let them touch him in those places, but that was about as far as it went.

Hux made no move to stop Techie, though he did mention softly into the other ginger’s mind, _We can go as far as you wish tonight, Techie. I don’t expect you to bare everything, even though I know you want to._

 _Thank you, but I am determined,_ Techie stated firmly, though he trembled a little while slowly tugging off his undershirt. He wanted this, needed this so bad. It was getting more and more difficult not being able to bare himself completely before them. He knew he still was painfully shy in the act of stripping, but he was a lot braver than he’d been when they’d first started their alliance.

Kylo and Hux watched with bated breaths as their more timid lover folded his shirt and placed it on top of his pile of other clothing. Biting his lip, Techie tugged off his pants as well. When he turned to face them, he was visibly trembling, yet he stood tall and met their gazes directly, knowing even without the bond that the other two wouldn’t judge him or think him weak. Techie held himself still, feeling a bit awkward, which was understandable.

However, he relaxed when he felt Kylo and Hux send in thoughts of reassurance and care through their bond. Kylo and Hux took their time looking over Techie, though not as long as they perhaps wanted to, knowing that their mate was uneasy as it was. There was no need to cause further duress on the Apprentice than what was necessary.

Where Techie’s back had been riddled with nasty scars of his past, his chest was mostly free of markings. There were some nasty knife scars on his abdomen and Kylo forced himself not to give into rage as he knew all too well where those scars had come from. Hux’s mood darkened slightly as well, being connected with the knight as he was, however, he looked elsewhere, not fixating on one particular spot. Techie’s past month of hard athletic workouts showed in his physique. He was still soft in the middle, with a small adorable pooch, but the rest of him was lean if not wiry.

Techie’s chest and stomach was mostly hair free, though he did have a small ginger happy trail leading into his black briefs. His legs were softly furred and scarred almost as much as his back. Some scars looked like they came from knives. Others looked like they came from random injuries and still more looked like burn marks from cigarettes.

All those things might have disgusted some people, but not with Hux and Kylo. Both recognized the struggle Techie was going through every minute of every day and night. They had seen his past – Kylo more so than Hux, but the reactions and feelings were mutual in this. They accepted him for who he was, and what he had gone through. The two were proud of him and amazed at how brave he was.

Raking their eyes over Techie’s adorable feet and back up his precious, if scarred body to his face, the two noted it was now time to act. Their precious brave lover was starting to feel more than a little nervous. “Techie, you are amazingly beautiful,” Kylo breathed, taking charge of the situation and walking over to his Apprentice to enfold him into a comforting embrace.

Kylo was getting more used to showing affection, especially with Techie. With Hux, it was different. Yes, Hux every once in a while needed affection and some tender loving care, but with Techie, it was a full time job. Techie needed not necessarily constant reassurance as he once did, but he still craved it and appreciated it whenever Hux or Kylo bestowed it upon him. Techie wanted to feel needed, to feel worth something, to feel _cherished_.

It was something that all three of them had to muscle their way through.

Kylo hugged the ginger to his chest, letting Techie share his mind completely. All the knight’s thoughts and feelings were bared for his Apprentice’s perusal. When Techie rested his head on Kylo’s chest, listening to his Master’s comforting and steady heartbeat for one long moment, Hux finally advanced. He carefully reached out and stroked Techie’s hair and back, careful not to linger overlong on some wicked scars. When Hux and Kylo had seen Techie’s back for the first time, they had not hesitated in kissing each and every scar they could find, letting the ginger know just how much they cared about him and understood his pain.

Techie had sobbed in their arms that night, feeling treasured more than he’d ever felt before.

“I still cannot fathom how a stunning creature like yourself managed to get stuck with us, of all people,” Hux teased softly, causing Techie to snicker a bit, easing up on the tension.

“Speak for yourself, Hux,” Kylo shot back wryly, reaching up to soothingly rub Techie’s arms and sides. After a long moment, the knight asked his Apprentice, “You ok?”

With a shaky nod, Techie answered softly, “Yes. T-thank you, Masters.”

“Excellent,” Hux said with a small, pleased smile.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

Since Hux felt it best to have Techie on the bed just in case he got weakened legs during his first experience with a feeding, the three of them moved to the General’s bedroom. Kylo was the first on the bed, wanting to be a bracing and grounding zone for Techie. He languidly eased himself up against the headboard, splaying his legs wide in blatant invitation. The display was lewd and hot and caused Techie’s cock to twitch despite his nerves. Biting his lower lip, Techie got onto the bed, positioning himself in the V of Kylo’s thighs, making sure he didn’t accidentally sit on his Master’s half hard cock and balls in the process. Though he doubted his Master would have minded the attention, Techie didn’t want to lose focus just yet.

He quite enjoyed the feel of Kylo’s thick cock and balls up against his lower back, regardless. Apparently focus was going to be a problem despite Techie’s efforts to the contrary.

Kylo carefully wrapped his arms around Techie’s middle, lightly rubbing soothing and distracting circles on his small tummy. The act allowed the long haired ginger to relax fully, and he leaned back slightly so he could rest his shoulders and back up against the knight’s chest. Kylo murmured softly, “We don’t have to watch below here if you don’t want us to. Not just yet.” He rubbed Techie’s happy trail lightly to prove his point.

Techie nodded shakily and murmured, “I think – I think I’ll be ok, just, I don’t want to be completely bare, if that’s ok?”

“More than ok, Techie,” Hux stated as he started pulling off his casual sleep shirt and lace trimmed red silk briefs. Feeling a bit more naughty than normal tonight, Hux made sure to expose himself slowly and fluidly, effectively baring his ass as he bent to finish taking his sexy underwear off. The result was feeling a rush of lust and appreciation coming from both his lovers through their bond.

He could also smell their enticing spicy scents deliciously mingled and practically dripping with mouthwatering desire. Techie’s scent always had a bit of an electric, smoky tinge to his lust, whereas Kylo’s arousal smelled more like exotic spices. The two paired together never failed in setting Hux off towards the deep end. Feeling his cock twitch at the scents wafting from his lovers, Hux palmed himself a few times before turning and practically slithering himself up onto the bed to settle next to Kylo and Techie. His fangs lengthened and he licked them obscenely, his eyes flickering to black slitted crimson.

“Kriff, Hux, you are going to make us both come prematurely, if you keep it up,” Kylo admonished, though he was enjoying the view quite nicely. Techie wiggled his ass a bit up against the apex of his Master’s thighs in agreement, causing the knight to hiss out a slow, increasingly aroused breath.

Kylo tightened his grip on his Apprentice in response, but then forced himself to relax a bit. Techie reached down and rubbed the back of Kylo’s fingers of one hand, understanding without words or thoughts what the physical reaction meant.

The knight released one of his hands so he could help Hux push some of Techie’s hair away from the right side of his neck. Although it really didn’t matter to Techie where Hux decided to sink in his fangs, Kylo knew that it would be significant if the _dhampyre_ laid claim right over the former slave brand still gracing the long haired ginger’s neck. It would be a claiming mark, and though in time it would heal and need to be renewed, Kylo figured that Techie would appreciate the added feeling of knowing that Ma-Ma didn’t own him anymore.

Sometimes Techie still had horrible nightmares, though being with his two lovers while he slept helped dampen their hold over him.

The past might have shaped Techie, but the ginger was working hard to break free of its chains. The past didn’t need to rule him anymore, and it was a good thing that both Hux and Kylo were willing to support him in blossoming into a formidable, empowered, but still gentle soul. Techie had come a long way from a month and a half ago when he’d first been discovered by Kylo in that surveillance server room on the Finalizer.

Techie flicked his bionic gaze down a bit, mouthwatering at the sight of Hux simply lounging beside him, very naked, and almost completely erect. Kylo gently kissed the bared skin of Techie’s neck, making his own temporary claim over the slave brand before turning his attention to Hux. The _dhampyre_ looked over Techie, appraising his form and paying special attention to his scent. What he scented pleased him, knowing that Techie had been right. He was ready.

He was a bit nervous, but not frightened or apprehensive in the least.

This was the sign Hux had been waiting for this past month.

Still proceeding with caution, Hux opted to kiss Techie’s lips tenderly, letting out a soft hum when the other ginger reached up to run the fingers of his free hand through the General’s hair. The former technician was getting bolder in acting out his wants and desires. It was a heady feeling for both Hux and Kylo, knowing that they were partly to blame for this. Hux pulled away slowly, and just when their lips were almost completely separated, he darted out his tongue to slide wetly along the crease of Techie’s pouty mouth. Techie let out a ragged breath, feeling his heart rate start to jump wildly. He shivered as Kylo interlaced his fingers with Techie’s, letting out another raspy breath as Hux leaned in again for another sensual, slow kiss.

When Techie felt like he might burst from sensation overload, Hux deepened the kisses, building the Apprentice up to both distract him, and make him practically begging for more. By the time Hux was through dominating Techie’s tongue like a pro, Hux had his clawed hands lightly raking over the pale ginger’s skin. Not one to be idle, Kylo gently removed his hand from Techie’s grasp and started teasing the male’s happy trail, causing his Apprentice to moan raggedly.

Hux pulled away slightly to look into Techie’s vivid blue bionic eyes. Ever since his eyelids healed and Techie continued to put drops in his eyes daily, the Force sensitive could narrow his eyes with much more ease. There was hardly any chafing or rust buildup, though Techie was still wanting to eventually get tear duct implants so he could stop using the drops every day. Feeling a moment of rare sentimentality, Hux leaned in and pecked each of Techie’s eyelids, giving them gentle attention.

Techie flushed and let out a laugh when Hux planted another kiss on his nose. Wrinkling it a bit, Techie felt his body relax further. He almost didn’t feel it when Kylo started dipping his index finger into the waistband of Techie’s black briefs. Letting out a slow hiss when he did start feeling that questing finger ridge over the tip of his now fully erect cock, on impulse Techie reached up and tugged Hux to him for a more direct and passionate kiss.

Hux took Techie’s advances with thorough erotic delight, letting the other male practically devour his mouth. Being a fast learner in all things carnal or otherwise, Techie was now almost a pro when it came to drugging, intoxicating kisses. He knew from their Force bond what Hux and Kylo liked, and he put that knowledge to good use when he could.

“Kriff, you two are so intense, it’s _torture_ ,” Kylo breathed against Techie’s shoulder blade, not being able to keep from littering the scarred surface with wet kisses. Techie let out a low keen and managed to cut his tongue on Hux’s fangs, causing the _dhampyre_ to growl heatedly at the taste.

Hux lewdly sucked on Techie’s tongue, pressing his own tongue on the small pin pricks to slow the blood flow. No need for Techie to bleed out when they’d just begun. Techie finally pulled away, taking in deep gasping breaths before he looked into Hux’s red fiery gaze and boldly demanded, “Enough foreplay. Take my blood or _ELSE_.”

Hux fought to keep his mouth from smirking at being sassed by his usually timid lover. Instead, he purred, “One of these days I am going to be most curious as to what your ‘or else’ actually is.”

Techie flushed but didn’t back down, feeling way too hot, horny, and driven mad by both his Masters’ attentions. Kylo let out a snicker, though even he felt his cock jump at Techie’s tone of voice. Whenever Techie got horny like this was the best time to hear him be bossy. Though the former technician loved putting off his climaxes until much later than the other two, there were times like these that he had no patience for foreplay.

Techie let out a whine when Kylo decided to take pity on him. The knight’s large hand dipped completely into Techie’s briefs, wrapping around the ginger’s leaking cock with a now familiar ease. He knew what Techie liked, just like he knew what set Hux off. Their strengthening Force bond was partly to blame, but Kylo couldn’t care less. With his other hand, he tugged Techie’s briefs down to bare just his cock, causing Techie to involuntarily thrust up into his fist.

Hux leaned in and captured Techie’s lips for one last erotic kiss before he started licking and sucking small love bites into the other ginger’s face, throat, and shoulder. When he found the spot he was looking for, he sucked on the area to get the blood to come rushing to the surface of Techie’s skin. Techie let out a low wail of pleasure, throwing his head back and arching his hips under Kylo’s sure, quick strokes. He wasn’t going to last long, though Techie wasn’t sure he wanted to by this point. All he wanted was to feel release, to feel the white hot pleasure of Hux sinking his fangs into his skin. His arching ass had Kylo roll his hips in response, the knight not being able to help the need to get off just as much as Techie.

He slid his cock up against Techie’s lower spine, enjoying the friction, though a part of him wanted nothing more than to breach the other male’s tight ring of muscles and just fuck him into oblivion. Knowing that his lover wasn’t ready for that at all – plus it would complete the bond way too fast before they were prepared for it, Kylo was content to just rub himself off on Techie’s skin. When Techie arched his hips a bit harder than normal, he ended up nearly squashing Kylo’s balls with his ass. Kylo let out a low growl as pleasure rippled through him, making his cock leak even more.

Hux let out a ragged few gasps, taking in the overwhelming electrical scent of Techie and the fainter but no less potent spicy smell of Kylo, finally letting his baser self take over. The _dhampyre_ licked once, twice, and then struck viciously, his fangs easily sliding into Techie’s neck. Techie let out a loud sobbing wail of pleasure tinged with pain at the incredible erotic feel. His cock spilled from the feel, and he hit his climax harder than ever before, nearly causing him to black out in the process.

Hux let out a loud, desperate mewl when he tasted Techie’s blood for the first time in a feeding standpoint. He felt his cock twitch and he moved faster than the two Force users could see, straddling Techie and reaching down to tug on Kylo’s wrist.

Kylo let up on his attentions of Techie, but then felt a gasp as the _dhampyre_ placed his hand over the knight’s so that he could wrap his large hand around both of their cocks. Kylo and Hux both used Techie’s essence as lubrication for this, both smearing their thumbs over the head of the blissed out ginger’s cock. Techie let out a low growling whine, arching his hips erratically, not being able to stop. Hux growled low in the back of his throat, causing Kylo to come hard, not being able to stop the influx of emotions raging through him.

Techie could feel everyone’s emotions swirling inside of his head, making the experience more intense and overwhelming.

Kylo’s cock spurted thick ropes of come all over Techie’s lower back, and still the pleasure did not ebb. Hux was determined to mark Techie as he had done so with Kylo during their initial first feeding. Hux pulled away after another swallow of luscious blood, letting it run down his throat and into his stomach, feeling it sate an ever present hunger deep within him. And then Hux struck once again, biting Techie again, causing the ginger to come desperately a second time. Techie by now was shakily clutching Hux’s shoulders for purchase, though he nearly blacked out again. If he had normal eyes, he figured he’d probably see stars in his eyes through this whole feeding occasion.

Techie let out one last yell, his voice going hoarse into a croak as Hux struck one last time, grunting with pleasure as the hunger started to finally ebb. Hux helped Kylo’s almost slack hand into forming a tight fist on Techie and his own cock, determined to get off in the next few seconds. He wasn’t disappointed when Kylo recovered enough from his high to get a more firm grip on the two gingers’ cocks. Hux threw back his head with a loud shout as he came, a bit of blood still coating his lower lip and fangs, though most had already been devoured. Techie let out another ragged whine as he came one last time, his cock twitching hard though it wasn’t able to do much else. His balls were officially emptied.

As Hux came down from his high, his baser self retreated, leaving him looking more human again. His now ice blue eyes met Techie’s blissed out gaze and smiled slightly, feeling smug and proud that he’d managed to pleasure his lover so much tonight. Techie would sleep like the dead, he was sure of it. He leaned in and lapped up the last trickles of blood from the other ginger’s chest, absently ridging his tongue against Techie’s right nipple. Techie let out a soft mewl and felt his hips arch up in vain.

“You keep it up, you’ll break his brain and mine,” Kylo admonished, though he too was enjoying the display. He reached up and licked off some of the viscous liquid both his lovers had expelled in their pleasures. Hux finished cleaning Techie’s blood up from his chest and neck before lightly prodding the small pinpricks.

He had taken perhaps a bit too much from Techie, but that was why both of his lovers were on blood supplements to handle his feedings. Since this had been Techie’s first marking, he had bled a lot more than usual. The next time Hux wouldn’t feel the need to be so violent. Techie whimpered slightly at the gentle touches, but relaxed bonelessly when Hux kissed his brow, letting up on the treatment.

“Your blood is clotting very well, Techie. You’ll be fine. Just take your nutrition tablets and supplement and you should be right as rain tomorrow,” Hux advised, reaching up with his clean hand to stroke the long haired ginger’s luscious locks tenderly.

Techie nodded slightly in understanding, letting out a weak whimper when Hux finally released their cocks. “Too late on breaking my brain. Kriff, is it always this intense, Master?” Though Techie knew the answer, he still asked, slurring his words a bit in exhaustion and post coital bliss.

Kylo huffed out a small chuckle and whispered, “Indeed. But, you eventually start expecting it to be, so you are more prepared.”

“Ok,” Techie stated before he reached up weakly and cupped Hux’s face gently. “Thank you. Feels good. Was amazing.” And now he couldn’t even form sentences.

Still, Hux didn’t mind. He took the compliments for what they were.

Hux reached up and licked the combined come off his hand, much as Kylo had earlier with his own fist. On impulse, he leaned in to capture Kylo’s lips and then Techie’s, enjoying the combined flavors.

As Techie was past his breaking point in keeping awake, Hux eased up off of his lap and went to go find and wet some washcloths. Kylo nuzzled the back of Techie’s head, running his clean hand up and down his Apprentice’s shoulder and arm, “You still ok?”

“Yes, Master. Never felt better,” And it was the truth.

Hux smiled in the refresher, hearing the small admission. Feeling actually happy about something in his life was an addictive emotion. He wasn’t sure if he should be wary of this feeling, for it could be replaced at any time due to the fact that they were still in the middle of a war. However, if their plan worked, then one of their main obstacles would be out of the way soon enough.

They just had to be patient and bide their time for the right moment.

Coming back into his bedroom, Hux noted with a small fond smirk that Techie had passed out completely. He handed Kylo a wet washcloth while he started cleaning up Techie himself. Kylo wiped down Techie’s lower back as well as his own messy abdomen. Kriff, he’d even splattered come on his chin.

Hux snorted in mirth as he looked up at a somewhat surprised but amused Kylo wiping come off of the underside of his chin.

“I suppose I don’t have to ask you how you are feeling, am I right?” Hux teased, leaning in to kiss the Force sensitive languidly.

A rumble of laughter rippled through Kylo’s chest before he let it escape. “No, indeed.”

\--------------------------------

That night Kylo held Techie in his arms, his nose buried into the soft scarred skin of the ginger’s back. Breathing in his scent and taking comfort in the fact that this beautiful creature was his. Was theirs. Hux was laying on his back per the norm, though with the way the room was situated, he could easily lay on his side and cuddle the former technician properly. Soon, he did so, looking fondly at his two lovers as he tucked Techie more into his arms. Reaching over, he pushed a few stray locks away from Kylo’s face, smirking slightly when the knight leaned into his touch with a soft sigh.

Kylo sleepily looked up to meet Hux’s softened gaze and murmured into his mind, _You should sleep, Hux. Tomorrow I fully intend to push you both to your limits._

The ginger huffed out a slow breath and let Kylo’s mind touch his more intimately. Though Hux didn’t indulge or need the help of the Force to sleep, every once in a while he let the knight take control. On nights like these where he was beyond too tired to actually push his body towards sleep, he didn’t mind Kylo assisting. If it helped him sleep soundly without the worry of his life slowly pressing in on him like a suffocating blanket, then Hux was fine with it. So, he relented and let down his defenses completely under the Knight’s touch.

Kylo reached up and carded his fingers through the ginger’s sex mussed hair before he nudged Hux to sleep. Once Hux’s body relaxed fully and his body softened, eyes closing in sleep, only then did Kylo pull his hand away. Looking at the two sleeping gingers in the bed made him feel a swelling need to protect them both. The feeling grew possessively with each passing day and night. Part of it was due to the Force bond that they shared. But, for the most part, Kylo understood that it was due to all three working hard together for the past month or so.

Kylo stayed awake for a bit longer, watching over his two lovers. Perhaps now he could see why the Stormtroopers had started nicknaming him Lord Mother Ren. Apparently he couldn’t help but mother his two charges. The knight couldn’t help it. He’d given everything up for the dark side of the Force. And now that he had something as precious as the bond between the three of them, he would guard it and them with his life. Techie seemed to take Kylo’s protective nature in stride, and Hux, though completely independent in every stretch of the imagination, didn’t mind this side of the knight either. Every once in a while they butted heads outside of work, but for the most part they saved their verbal disagreements and mock loathing for during the workday.

The crew aboard the Finalizer knew that something must be going on between Kylo and Techie, which was normal and therefore the two didn’t have to hide their affections as much. They kept it as professional as possible, not wanting to slip or make the crew think that they were soft enough to disrespect. But, as for the relationship between Hux and Kylo, the two had to tread very carefully. Though they had started working together more amiably, the two insured to have pointless verbal sparring sessions as much as possible. Kylo’s mood swings were leveling off, though every once in a while he had to take out his aggression on an inanimate object.

Most of the time however, he took his ire to the training mats with Techie. There, though he still hadn’t taught his Apprentice how to fight with a lightsaber, he didn’t have to worry about hurting Techie with hand to hand combat. The ginger was getting pretty good at sparring in that way. His form still needed work, but Kylo figured that that would come in time.

Kylo rested his eyes and let his body drift, though keeping a close mental protective ring of the Force around the three as they all slept.


End file.
